Q: How should my students cite ChatGPT or another AI tool?
Students must report any use of an AI tool (such as ChatGPT) for their assignments. There are two main ways to do this:
- Cite any direct uses of ideas, words, or other content generated by the AI tool using the appropriate citation style, such as APA or MLA.
- If you do not want students to use ChatGPT as a direct source of content or ideas, consider stating this explicitly when describing the kinds of sources which are acceptable for the assignment.
- You can share the APA, MLA, and Chicago Style guides with your students. There is also the student LibGuide on citing ChatGPT.
- It would be considered plagiarism if a student fails to cite the direct use of AI-generated ideas, words, or content.
- An example of an APA citation is:
- In-text citation: (OpenAI, 2023)
- Reference list entry: OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
- Acknowledge any use of an AI tool for indirect support or assistance by stating it clearly in the assignment itself or in a separate “Acknowledgements” section.
- Using an AI tool without acknowledgement, even if used indirectly, may be considered a breach of academic integrity.
- Students with permission to do so might use AI tools like ChatGPT to critique their work, brainstorm topics, reorganize outlines, receive tutoring on assignment-related topics, suggest relevant research, summarize articles, and much more.
- Consider talking with your students about what constitutes appropriate or inappropriate usage of ChatGPT for your class or for an assignment.
- An “Acknowledgements” section can serve as an opportunity for students to reflect on their use (or overuse) of AI tools for, as well as give you additional insight into how it is affecting your students’ work.
- You could also ask students to provide transcripts of their prompts or interactions with these AI tools for specific assignments.
- Examples of acknowledgement statement formatting.
