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Citing Sources: ChatGPT and AI tools

Tips

Create a citation any time you summarize, quote, or use a generative AI tool in your work in any way, including for translation or editing.

MLA does not recommend listing the AI tool as an author, so the author field can be left blank.

Make sure to confirm that any sources used by the AI are real and legitimate, as AI tools have been knows to make up sources.

ChatGPT and generative AI Tools

"Full text of the prompt" prompt. Title of container (name of AI tool). version (some tools indicate version by date), Publisher (name of company that made the tool), Date content was created, URL (general URL for the tool).

Works Cited List Example

 "Write a list of essential small business software" prompt. ChatGPT, GPT-3.5, OpenAI, 28 Mar. 2024, chat.openai.com.

In-Text Citation Example

("full text of prompt")

NOTE: If the full text of the prompt is long and detailed, a shorter version can be used for in-text citations.

Example: ("Write a list of essential small-business software")

Shortened example: ("essential small-business software")

 

To learn more about citing generative AI tools in the MLA style visit the MLA Style Centre post "How do I cite generative AI in MLA style?":

‘How Do I Cite Generative AI in MLA Style?’ MLA Style Center, 17 Mar. 2023, https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/.