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Generative AI for Learning and Research

Importance of citing ChatGPT

Like books and journals, ChatGPT serves as an information source. To acknowledge the sources and avoid plagiarism, you should cite ChatGPT if you have used it in your research. Moreover, citation of ChatGPT helps teachers to understand your research practice, evaluate your work and offer support accordingly.

More details on the citation of Generative AI tools in general, please visit our guide on Referencing and Citation.

Citation styles

According to the official blog of the American Psychological Association (APA) , ChatGPT can be treated as software considering its nature as a large language model.

In-text Citation Reference List

Use one of the following:

  • (OpenAI, 2023)
  • OpenAI (2023)
  • (OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix usage 1)

Suggested format: 

Author. (Date). Title (Version) [Large language model]. URL 

 

Example:

OpenAI. (2023). HSUHK ChatGPT (ChatGPT 3.5) [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.hsu.edu.hk/

Remarks: 

  • Author is the company made ChatGPT, i.e. OpenAI
  • Date is the year of version you used, no need to include the exact date
  • Title is the name of the tool, e.g., HSUHK ChatGPT
  • Version is the model of ChatGPT, e.g., gpt-3.5-turbo
  • URL is the link to use the tool

 

Reference:

American Psychological Association. (2023, April 7). How to cite ChatGPT. APA Style. https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt

Modern Language Association (MLA) does NOT recommend treating AI tools as authors, so you need to follow the rules for "sources with no known author".

Example:

In-text Citation Reference List

Suggested format:

("Title of source")

 

Example: 

("Describe the impact of influencers")

Suggested format:

"Title of source" prompt. Title of container, Version, Publisher, Date, Location.

 

Example:

"Describe the impact of influencers in book Social media marketing : strategies in utilizing consumer-generated content" prompt. HSUHK ChatGPT, ChatGPT 3.5, OpenAI, 19 Jul 2023, https://chatgpt.hsu.edu.hk/

Remarks:

  • Title of source describes what was generated by ChatGPT, you may include the prompt in a full or short form
  • Title of container is the name of the AI tool, i.e., ChatGPT
  • Version is the version of ChatGPT
  • Publisher is the company that made ChatGPT, i.e., OpenAI
  • Date is the date the content was generated.
  • Location is the URL for ChatGPT

 

Reference:

Modern Language Association of America. (2023). "How do I cite generative AI in MLA style?" MLA Style Centre. https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai. Accessed 19 Jul 2023.

According to the Chicago Manual of Style Online, you can cite GPT by author-date style or a note. There is no need to cite it in the reference list since ChatGPT conversation is treated as personal communication.

Example:

In-text Citation  Reference List

Method 1: Author-date style

Suggested format: 

(Author, Date)

 

Example:

(HSUHK ChatGPT, July 19, 2023)

 Do not cite

Method 2: Footnote / Endnote

Suggested format: 

Note number. Author, response to "prompt," Date, Publisher. URL (optional).

 

Example:

1. HSUHK ChatGPT, response to “Describe the impact of influencers in book Social media marketing : strategies in utilizing consumer-generated content,” July 19, 2023, OpenAI. https://chatgpt.hsu.edu.hk/.

Do not cite

Remarks:

  • ChatGPT is the author of the content
  • The date is the date the text was generated
  • OpenAI (the company that developed ChatGPT) is listed as the publisher of the content.
  • URL is the link to ChatGPT

 

Reference:

The University of Chicago. "Citation, Documentation of Sources." The Chicago Manual of Style Online. July 19, 2023. https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/qanda/data/faq/topics/Documentation/faq0422.html