Detailed Guide for Citing ChatGPT
However controversial the use of ChatGPT in academia has become, there is a serious concern about adopting it in colleges and universities, AI-generated fraud, and new approach to proper citation practices. The sphere of education is gradually incorporating AI as an integral part in the current transformative era, and ChatGPT is viewed as a powerful resource and an innovative force that responds to specific commands and develops texts which resemble human-written ones.
Johanna Alonso in the article “SUNY Will Teach Students to ‘Ethically Use AI’” refers to new requirements in general education, which implies studying of ethical dimensions of using AI technologies by the students. Starting in September 2026, classes on AI ethics and literacy will be added to meet the standards of the core competency in Information Literacy so that the students could “demonstrate an understanding of the ethical dimensions of information use, creation, and dissemination.”
The idea to cite ChatGPT which used to be absolutely absurd is now acceptable and generally discussed. The question is now related not to whether to cite but how to cite ChatGPT! That is a brand new page in the history of academics and we will refer to it in this definitive guide that will integrate expert opinions and data to help students avoid and prevent mistakes.
ChatGPT is known as one of the most successful projects developed by OpenAI to use the text-based queries and generate natural-sounding texts and responses. This AI chatbot with advanced NLP is based on the GPT algorithm. It is trained on the huge amounts of data to be able to generate human-like appropriate responses and using it needs specific rules. Citing ChatGPT is of critical importance to ensure the principles of academic integrity, transparency, and reproducibility. To avoid any impression of fraud and plagiarism, it is a must to give ChatGPT a proper credit.
Nobody wants to get blamed for inappropriate attitude to assigned tasks; thus, we have prepared a number of professional advice for everybody to be well aware of the answers to the following questions:
- Why is citing ChatGPT of critical importance?
- How do you cite ChatGPT according to the rules of APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard styles of referencing?
- What are the challenges of citing ChatGPT?
- Which best practices and examples clearly demonstrate that citing ChatGPT is a must in a present-day world of academics?
Nota bene: Academic honesty is only one of the reasons for the importance of having strict AI citation guidelines. When it goes about researchers in the future, it is clear that such referencing and in-text citations will be of immense help for them.
To Cite or Not to Cite: That Is the Question
1. Transparency of new policies
Academic writing is still getting used to a new reality of using the AI language models. The new policies and guidelines are evolving and there are new recommendations and guidelines coming, so the rules and standards of citing are updated all the time not to miss any new aspect. The most important thing about why ChatGPT should be cited is that it is a great approach to differentiate between the AI-generated parts and human-written passages.
2. Accountability
Academic texts mostly require verification of the facts included. Besides, every further research on the same topic implies replicating the parts of previous research. Thus, without the version number and retrieval dates, it would be a challenge to do that.
3. Ensuring originality
Plagiarism allegations – that is what the students are terribly afraid of and this fear has become even more intense with the ever-growing use of AI tools in writing. Provided that you have used at least some AI-generated content, you should pay proper attention to citing it otherwise PlagiarismSearch.com or any other plagiarism detection software will show high likelihood of fraud.
According to the survey made by the Inside Higher Ed, only one-fifth of universities had a specific AI policy for the school year of 2023–2024; more than that they allowed flexibility in terms of AI use for instructors. So, one instructor could apply outright bans for using ChatGPT, while another one allowed its extensive classroom use for collecting ideas.
Follow these simple rules to avoid plagiarism accusations at school:
- Using the AI outputs, you should remember that it is a must to cite them. Acknowledgment of using AI for translation, revision, or editing of the paper is also important.
- In case AI tools have used citations in writing, you should definitely double check all of them in the actual sources. The thing is that in some cases, such citations can be made up or the links included can be broken. So, it is always highly recommendable to take responsibility for citing instead of the tool.
- Mind the formatting as the AI tools are not good at meeting the guidelines of official style.
- Consult the instructors when you are in doubt. Using a certain AI tool, you should know for sure that you are following the official guidelines to the use of AI technologies in education.
Nota bene: Do not view citing as a mere formality! It is the only basis for maintaining reliability and trust in academics.
Academic Integrity AI: ChatGPT Citation Guidelines
Checking on the proper usage of a certain word or its correct spelling, one can use the Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, for example. Similarly, analyzing the proper use of generative AI tools in writing, one needs a reliable AI citation guidance to be sure how and which way to use AI in every style.
Note bene: AI never meets the standards of authorship, so it can never be mentioned as the author of research.
APA Style Guidelines
Sample APA citation:
| Author. (Year of chat/prompt). Name of AI tool (Version of tool, if known) [Large language model]. URL | OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (Version 4) [Large language model]. Open AI. Retrieved 03 March 2025 from https://chatgpt.com/ |
| (Author, Year) | (OpenAI, 2024) |
- The paper should give a brief explanation of the used prompt so that everybody could see how the information was obtained.
- It is recommended to add an appendix with the chat transcript to the paper.
- It is a must for APA to have version number, retrieval date, and URL mentioned in every source as it is a guarantee of reliability.
MLA Style Guidelines
MLA sample citation:
| "Chat Explanation" prompt. Name of AI tool, version of AI tool (if any), Company, chat Date, URL. | "Chat Explanation" prompt. ChatGPT, Open AI, 6 March 2025, https://chatgpt.com/ |
- Referencing AI-generated content in the text, include an in-text citation and add an entry to the Works Cited.
- Use the title of the source as a brief description of the AI-generated content in MLA style.
- Even editing, collecting ideas, or translating done with the help of AI requires citation.
- No explicit version number is needed, but it is a must to include the access date.
- It is recommended to add a link to the chat transcript instead of a common URL of the tool.
Chicago Style Guidelines
| 1. Author, Title, Publisher, Date of chat/prompt, URL to a specific conversation with the AI tool. | 1. ChatGPT, response to "How to ensure well-being," Open AI, accessed November 18, 2024, https://chat.openai.com/ |
- Include a parenthetical citation or a note citation.
- There should not be any source mentioned in the reference list if it is an AI tool material.
- No URL is needed in note citation if there is no link to a chat transcript.
- The prompt can be mentioned in an endnote or a footnote.
Harvard Style Guidelines
Harvard style is similar to Chicago as it requires details of the (ChatGPT), year, title, version (provided that you have it), and URL along with the retrieval date.
| Citation Style | Author/Corporate Name | Year | Title / Version Info | Retrieval Date | URL | Additional Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APA | ChatGPT | 2023 | ChatGPT (Version 4) [Large language model]. OpenAI | Retrieved [Month Day, Year] | https://chat.openai.com/ | Version number and retrieval date are needed. |
| MLA | ChatGPT | 2023 | ChatGPT. OpenAI | Accessed [Date] | https://chat.openai.com/ | No explicit version number required. The focus is on access date. |
| Chicago | ChatGPT | 2023 | ChatGPT (Version 4), OpenAI | Accessed [Month Day, Year] | https://chat.openai.com/ | Version number and access date are mentioned in a footnote or endnote. |
| Harvard | ChatGPT | 2023 | ChatGPT (Version 4). OpenAI | Accessed: [Month Day, Year] | https://chat.openai.com/ | Version details and access date needed. |
Citing Generative AI: Challenges and Controversies
You need to acknowledge that you have used AI even in drafting or composing an outline to meet all the standards of academic integrity. In this case, you need to start the paper with a phrase that certifies the use of drafting support from a particular AI tool. We recommend checking specific instructions related to this type of referencing with your instructor every time you need to do that.
Citing conversations with ChatGPT or some other tool, you need to study the guidelines to citing in different styles given above, but still there are some challenges which make this process different from common referencing and using in-text citations.
Challenges in AI Citation
- Dynamic Content: AI-generated content changes with every access, making citing details inconsistent.
- Authorship Debate: Standards are evolving, and AI is generally not considered an author.
- Discipline-Specific Variability: Different fields and institutions have varying citation expectations.
One of the articles published by Science mentions ChatGPT as “fun, but not an author” (source).
| Criteria for Authorship (ICMJE) | Does ChatGPT Meet It? |
|---|---|
| Essential contributions to design and conception | No |
| Critical drafting or revising for intellectual content | No |
| Final approval of the obtained version | No |
| Proper investigation and resolution of integrity and accuracy | No |
Citing Generative AI: Recommendations
- Specify the ChatGPT version (e.g., Version 1).
- Identify retrieval date.
- Check the URL if possible.
Nota bene: Working on academic papers, it is highly recommended to add a disclosure statement in either acknowledgments section or methodology.
Example: “This paper was partially generated with the use of ChatGPT (Version 4) by OpenAI on January 06, 2025.”
Best Practices: Step-by-Step Guide
Consistency and accuracy are key!
APA Citation Guidelines
- Identify the AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT, Jasper).
- Collect citation information:
- Author/developer
- Year of publication
- Model name
- Version
- URL
- For in-text citations, mention the author and year.
- Briefly explain the prompt.
- Include an appendix if AI-generated output is extensive (source).
MLA Citation Guidelines
- Identify the AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT, Jasper).
- Collect citation information:
- Prompt description
- Tool name
- Version
- Company
- Chat date
- URL
Looking Ahead
It is easy to predict that citing ChatGPT and other AI tools will have even more significance than it has now. It is and it will be critical to develop specific guidelines across different citation styles and introduce them throughout all institutions to maintain consistency in education.
Transparency and precision should be the leading principles of writing with the help of AI tools, which should be viewed not as a threat but as a valuable resource for clarity and accuracy of writing. Artificial intelligence should not be precluded from scientific communication, but it will play an increasing role only if done consistently and according to generally accepted rules.
