Generative AI and ChatGPT are new and emerging technologies that are changing the academic landscape. Like any sources you use in the course of your research, citations are still necessary. Because the results output of generative AI is not reproducible it is important that researchers:
Please note that there is great debate amongst the academic community about generative AI and its use in the research process.Things are changing at a rapid pace, so always check with the official style manual or their official webpage to confirm citation requirements.
ACS (American Chemical Society) Guide to Scholarly Communication does not currently have examples of how to cite works that are generated using AI. With that being said, it does state that the use of software in the research process "... should be given the same importance as other products of research and therefore should be cited alongside other cited works". (ACS, 2023, 4.3.5.7)
ACS Recommended Format:
Software or Program Title, version or edition; Publisher: Place of Publication, Year. DOI or URL (accessed YYYY-MM-DD).
APA Journals has published policies on the use of generative AI in scholarly materials when submitting work to scholarly publications. For this policy, AI refers to generative LLM AI tools and does not include grammar-checking software, citation software, or plagiarism detectors.
- When a generative artificial intelligence (AI) model is used in the drafting of a manuscript for an APA publication, the use of AI must be disclosed in the methods section and cited.
- AI cannot be named as an author on an APA scholarly publication.
- When AI is cited in an APA scholarly publication, the author must employ the software citation template, which includes specifying in the methods section how, when, and to what extent AI was used. Authors in APA publications are required to upload the full output of the AI as supplemental material.
APA recommends that author's cite their use of ChatGPT similar to how you would cite your use of software in the creation of an algorithm (see APA Manual 10.10 Computer Software, Mobile Apps, Apparatuses, and Equipment). APA also suggests that given that AI generated content like chats are not created by a person, that they cannot be considered personal communication. Instead, treat the content as an algorithm's output, and credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and in-text citation. You can also put the full text of long responses in an appendix or online supplemental materials.
The following example was taken directly from the APA Style Blog (McAdoo, 2023)
Reference List:
Author. (Year of the Version). Title of the Tool (Version if applicable) [Tool description if applicable]. Source/URL
In-Text citation:
For a direct quote or paraphrase, or to cite the tool, use the following format. Note: OpenAI is the author not ChatGPT. (Author, Year)
Currently, the Chicago Manual of Style treats the AI model as an author, and the format as a personal communication; therefore references to AI generated content are included in a footnote but not in a bibliography or reference list.
The Chicago Manual of Style requires authors to acknowledge their use of generative software by including a numbered footnote or endnote. The following example was taken from the Chicago Manual of Style. You can access the official Chicago manual of Style via the library here.
Do not include.
Author / Date Style
In an author-date version where parenthetical citations are used in text, any information not in the text would be placed in a parenthentical reference.
Footnote Style
"Citation, Documentation of Sources." Chicago Manual of Style. Accessed 14 February, 2024. https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/qanda/data/faq/topics/Documentation/faq0422.html
The IEEE Editorial Style Manual for Authors (version last updated 25 March 2025) indicates:
The use of content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) in an article (including but not limited to text, figures, images, and code) shall be disclosed in the acknowledgments section of any article submitted to an IEEE publication. The AI system used shall be identified, and specific sections of the article that use AI-generated content shall be identified and accompanied by a brief explanation regarding the level at which the AI system was used to generate the content. The use of AI systems for editing and grammar enhancement is common practice and, as such, is generally outside the intent of the above policy. In this case, disclosure as noted above is recommended.
The IEEE Author Center recommends consulting the Chicago Manual of Style for guidance for any usage not included in the IEEE Editorial Style Manual. Visit the "Chicago tab" in this guide for current recommendations.
The MLA Handbook requires authors to acknowledge their use of generative software by including a citation whether you paraphrase or directly quote the generate text and to acknowledge how you used it in the completion of your work. The following example was taken from the MLA Handbook . You can access the official MLA Handbook via the library here.
You are expected to include the following elements:
The examples below are directly from the MLA Style Centre.
“Describe the symbolism of the green light in the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald” prompt. ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 8 Mar. 2023, chat.openai.com/chat.
"In 200 words, describe the symbolism of the green light in The Great Gatsby" follow-up prompt to list sources. ChatGPT, Feb. 13 version, 9 Mar. 2023, OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com/chat.
“Pointillist painting of a sheep in a sunny field of blue flowers” prompt, DALL-E, version 2, OpenAI, 8 Mar. 2023, labs.openai.com/.
"The Sunflower" villanelle about a sunflower. ChatGPT, Feb. 13 version, 8 Mar. 2023, OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com/chat.
"How do I cite generative AI in MLA style?" MLA Style Center, 14 Feb. 2024, https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/