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APA Citation Guide (7th edition) : AI-Generated Content

This guide shows you how to cite using APA 7th edition

Citation Guidelines May Change

Generative AI tools are relatively new, and constantly evolving. Because of this, the guidelines around how to cite these tools frequently change.

If you plan on using AI tools in your assignment, check this page frequently, to ensure you are following the most up-to-date guidelines on how to cite these tools.

A Note on Citing AI-Generated Content in APA

Please note: If you have used AI-generated content in your assignment, you are required not only to provide proper citations, but also, to explain how you used AI for your assignment.

Your explanation should include:

  • An description of all of the ways in which the AI tool(s) that you used helped you with your assignment.
    • For example, did the AI tool translate words from one language to another? Did it explain a concept to you? Did it give you a plan for how you would structure your assignment? Describe all of the ways in which the AI tool helped you.
    • If your assignment contains content that was originally generated by an AI tool and then modified (for example, you edited text that you got from ChatGPT, and then added it to your assignment), you should acknowledge this as well.
  • The full text of the prompt(s) that you used.
  • Any portion of the relevant content that was generated from that prompt.

You can explain these things at any point in your assignment. For example, if you are writing an essay, you could use your introduction to describe which AI tool(s) you used, and how. Then, in the body paragraphs, you could share your AI-generated content and prompts.

APA also recommends including the full text of all AI-generated content in an Appendix at the end of your paper. Create separate appendices for each of the AI-generated items that you have used for your assignment. Then, in your in-text citations, refer the reader to the appropriate Appendix for the full content.

  • For example, if you used two separate Chat-GPT ‘chats’ for your assignment, include the first as an Appendix A, and the second as an Appendix B. Then, in the body text of your assignment, whenever you refer to something from Appendix A, direct the reader to Appendix A, as in the example below:
    • (OpenAI, 2024; see Appendix A for the full transcript)

Also, be sure to confirm that your instructor allows the use of AI tools in assignments.

What is a Prompt?

The term “prompt” refers to the instructions that you write and submit to a generative AI tool (such as ChatGPT or DALL·E), in order to get it to perform a task for you.

The generative AI tool will then create an “output.” This is the response it gives to your prompt. An output might take the form of text, images, videos, or other media.

Depending on what you are working on, you may ask the generative AI tool to do things like:

  • Translate words from one language to another
  • Explain a concept, or concepts, to you
  • Synthesize two or more texts
  • Write a short text
  • Create step-by-step instructions for how to complete a large assignment

There is no set standard for how long your prompt should be. It all depends on what you want the generative AI tool to do. For some tasks, an effective prompt could be one sentence long; for others, a successful prompt would require a full paragraph of instructions.

For tips on creating a successful prompt, see “What is a Prompt?” in our Artificial Intelligence guide.

 

 

This description was adapted from "Fine Tuning Prompts for AI Tools" from the "Artificial Intelligence Guide" by Bronte ChangUniversity of Calgary Library which is licensed under CC BY 4.0.

How to Format URLs in Citations for AI-Generated Content

In your citation, include a direct URL to the AI-generated content only if it is publicly available (i.e. the person who clicks on the URL will be able to view your AI-generated content without having to log in first). If the direct URL requires a login, include a general URL to the AI tool instead.

ChatGPT

OpenAI. (Year). ChatGPT (version information if known) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com

Note: APA recommends that you include an explanation of how you used ChatGPT, and an Appendix (or Appendices) containing the full text of your prompt(s) and output(s). If you are not sure whether or not you should include this info, check with your instructor.

Do not include a direct URL to your ChatGPT conversation. Instead, use https://chat.openai.com.

Example OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (Auto version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com
In-Text Paraphrase

(OpenAI, Year; for the full transcript, see Appendix Number/Letter)

Example: (OpenAI, 2024; for the full transcript, see Appendix A)

or, if your instructor does not require an Appendix:

(OpenAI, Year)

Example: (OpenAI, 2024)

In-Text Quote

(OpenAI, Year; for the full transcript, see Appendix Number/Letter)

Example: (OpenAI, 2024; for the full transcript, see Appendix A)

or, if your instructor does not require an Appendix:

(OpenAI, Year)

Example: (OpenAI, 2024)

DALL-E

Note: As of September 19, 2024, APA has not published any guidelines on how to cite AI-generated images. The guidelines listed here are developed from existing APA standards for citing images and AI-generated content. Please check this page frequently, as it will change once APA releases guidelines for how to cite AI-generated images.

If you are inserting an image generated by DALL-E into your assignment, add a caption directly below the image, using the following formatting:

Note. Image generated using the prompt “Full text of prompt,” by OpenAI, DALL-E version number, Year (URL of AI Tool).

Note: Do not provide a direct link to the image. Instead, give the URL of the AI tool itself.

Example: 

Note. Image generated using the prompt “Create a comic-style colour illustration of the Vancouver, British Columbia skyline, with Science World prominently featured,” by OpenAI, DALL-E 3, 2024 (https://openai.com/index/dall-e-3/).

Also include a Reference list entry for your image:

References

OpenAI. (Version Year). ChatGPT (DALL-E version number) [AI image generator]. URL of AI tool

Example: OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (DALL-E 3) [AI image generator]. https://openai.com/index/dall-e-3/

AI-Generated Videos and Audio

Note: As of September 21, 2024, APA has not published any guidelines on how to cite AI-generated videos. The guidelines listed here are developed from existing APA standards for citing videos and AI-generated content in general. Please check this page frequently, as it will change once APA releases guidelines for how to cite AI-generated videos.

To cite an AI-generated video in your References list, use the following formatting:

Company or Creator of the Tool. (Year this version was released). Title of video [AI-generated video]. Name of the AI Tool or Model (version information if known such as version number, version date, or version name) [Type of AI Model]. URL.

To cite AI-generated audio in your References list, use the following formatting:

Company or Creator of the Tool. (Year this version was released). Title of audio [AI-generated audio]. Name of the AI Tool or Model (version information if known such as version number, version date, or version name) [Type of AI Model]. URL.

Note: APA instructs users to give a direct URL to their AI-generated content only if that URL is publicly available. If you are unable to generate a publicly available direct URL to your AI-generated content, you should include a general URL to the AI tool itself instead. 

Example

HubSpot. (2024). Impact of stress on heart health [AI-generated video]. Clip Creator [Video generator]. https://www.hubspot.com/clip-creator.

In-Text Paraphrase

(Creator, Year)

Example: (HubSpot, 2024)

In-Text Quote

(Creator, Year, Time Stamp)

Example: (HubSpot, 2024, 1:28)

References

The information on this page was developed from the following resources:

Mamak, L., & Mosher, L. (2024, January 4). APA citations for content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Normandale Community College Library. https://www.normandale.edu/_files/documents/library/ai-apa.pdf

McAdoo, T. (2024, February 23). How to cite ChatGPT. APA Style. https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt