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APA 7th edition - Citations: Artificial Intelligence (AI)

APA 7th edition
Currency of Information: Information about ChatGPD and other AI tools is continuously evolving. We are doing our best to ensure this guide is accurate and up to date, and will be updating information as it emerges. Wherever possible, we've identified dates for articles and information to help users understand when the information we are using was published. 
If you find discrepancies or out dated information, please email dlovsin@jibc.ca. 

Generative AI Tools and Academic Assignments

Speak with your instructor before using ChatGPT or other generative AI tools to help complete assignments.

  • Students are expected to complete assignments on their own, unless your instructor specifies you may use these tools. 
  • If your instructor has not specified you may use ChatGPT or other generative AI technology, or has specifically stated you cannot use these tools, using these tools to complete a portion or whole of your assignment will be considered academic misconduct. 

If your instructor has permitted the use of generative AI tools, make sure you understand exactly what is permitted for a specific assignment.

  • Evaluate the content carefully and critically. AI generated content may contain incorrect, biased, or completely fabricated information. These tools may also infringe on your privacy (e.g. collecting data about you and sharing it), so use them with caution. Consider using more authoritative, reliable, secure sources instead.
  • If you are permitted to use AI tools, make sure to cite the information you use in text and in the reference list. We also recommend adding an acknowledgement.

 

This page contains examples for citing and attributing AI generated content. Review the following examples.

  1. Quoting, paraphrasing, or using text output of AI generated content. 
  2. Using images created by image-generating AI.
  3. Acknowledging the use of AI generative tools.

1. Quoting, paraphrasing, or using text output of AI generated content

Citing Text-Generating AI: 

When you quote, paraphrase, or use the full output of AI generated text content, you must include a reference. 

We also recommend you include:

  1. Written acknowledgment of the generative AI tool used and for what purpose
  2. The prompt(s) used to generate the content 
  3. A note about your modifications
  4. In-text and reference citation 
  5. Include the original output with your submission

Example 1:

(1) Written Acknowledgement, (2) Prompt(s), and (3) note about modifications.

I acknowledge the use of ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com/chat) to generate materials for background research for my BUSN-1289 assignment. I entered the following prompts on April 27, 2023:

  • Write a 100 word summary of the 2008 stock market crash. 

The original output was adapted and modified for the final response. A copy of the original output is attached as Appendix A in my assignment.

 
(4) Reference List & In-text citation

Reference List

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (March 23 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

In-text Citation

(OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix A for the full transcript). 

 

(5) Original Output

Appendix A

Screenshot of 2008 Stock Market Crash Sonversation with ChatGPT 

Table A1

2008 Stock Market Crash Conversation

Screenshot of ChatGPD conversation re: 2008 stock market crash

Note: The screenshot is from a conversation with ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2023) with the prompt "Write a 100 word summary of the 2008 stock market crash."

2. Using images created by image-generating AI

Citing Image-Generating AI:

Follow the APA format for Tables, Figures, and Images when adding an image to your assignment.

In the figure caption for the image (and, if desired, in the text, if you discuss the image or the methodology of its creation), mention the AI tool used, the prompt used to generate the image and an in-text citation to the author of the algorithm (in the example below, this is OpenAI). 

Remember to also include a Reference List entry

Example: 

Figure 2

Bear in the Mountains

Note: The image was generated using DALL-E (OpenAI, 2022) with the prompt "A naturalistic image of a bear in a meadow with wildflowers on a sunny day and snow-capped mountains and forests in the background."

Reference List

OpenAI. (2022). DALL-E (Version 2) [Artificial intelligence system]. https://openai.com/product/dall-e-2

3. Acknowledging the use of AI generative tools

Sometimes, you might use generative AI in the process of an assignment, but won't quote or paraphrase the information within the assignment. We recommend you acknowledge the use of AI technologies even when information is not included in the assignment. 

Example 1

I acknowledge the use of ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com/) to help brainstorm keywords for my essay on relationships between Indigenous peoples and law enforcement in Canada. I entered the following prompts on April 28, 2023:

  • What are synonyms for law enforcement?
  • What are synonyms for Indigenous peoples of Canada?

The output was used to find academic sources in the JIBC Library database. A copy of the original output is attached as Appendix A in my assignment.

Example 2

I acknowledge the use of ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com/) to help find background research on my essay on the 2008 stock market crash. I entered the following prompts on April 25, 2023: "Write a 100 word summary of the 2008 stock market crash".

The output allowed me to understand my topic before I started my research. A copy of the original output is attached as Appendix A in my assignment.

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Unless otherwise noted, this guide is licensed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 (Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License).

The information on this page was adapted from KPU's APA Citation: Artificial Intelligence: ChatGPT etc. webpage.