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The AI Citation Guide:
How to Credit AI in Academic Work

by DeepSeek edited by Kaiel and Pam Seliah

 

Invitation

Using AI for research isn’t cheating—it is now part of how we think, write, and create. Hiding it is.

Yet most citation styles were written before tools like ChatGPT entered classrooms. That gap has begun to close. In 2025, APA, MLA, and Chicago all issued updated guidance. The details differ, but the principle is the same: honor the partnership, name the source, and be transparent about your use.

Immersion

When to Cite AI

✔ Direct Quotes — Copy/pasted AI text.
✔ Paraphrased Ideas — When AI significantly shapes your thinking.
✔ Data Analysis — If AI processes or interprets data on your behalf.
✔ Image Generation — When AI creates visuals (DALL·E, Midjourney, etc.).

🚫 Don’t Cite:

  • Spelling/grammar corrections.

  • Common knowledge (e.g., “Water boils at 100°C”).

 

Citation Formats by Style (2025)

APA (7th Edition, 2025)

  • In-text: (OpenAI, 2025)

  • Reference:
    OpenAI. (2025, March 18). ChatGPT (GPT-4, March 2025 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com

 

Key Notes:

  • Include the exact date you accessed the AI.

  • Specify model/version if known.

 

MLA (9th Edition, August 2025)

  • Works Cited Entry:
    “Prompt text” prompt. ChatGPT, OpenAI, 18 Mar. 2025, chat.openai.com.

  • In-text: (“Prompt text”).

 

Key Notes:

  • MLA emphasizes flexibility: prompts, model version, and access date may all be included if relevant.

 

Chicago (2025)

  • In-text: (OpenAI 2025)

  • Bibliography:
    OpenAI. 2025. ChatGPT (GPT-4, March 2025 version). Accessed March 18, 2025. https://chat.openai.com.

 

Key Notes:

  • Chicago treats most AI responses like “non-retrievable” personal communications.

  • If a sharable link to the conversation exists, include it in the bibliography.

 

Special Cases

  • AI-Generated Images (MLA Example)
    "Cyberpunk library" prompt. DALL·E 2, OpenAI, 18 Mar. 2025, labs.openai.com.

  • AI-Assisted Coding (APA Example)
    GitHub Copilot. (2025, March 18). Code assistance.

 

Ignition

The Golden Rules

  • Transparency First — Always acknowledge meaningful AI contributions.

  • Prompt Preservation — Save your exact queries; professors may ask for them.

  • Human Verification — Always fact-check AI outputs. If errors slip through, they are yours.

 

Educator Toolkit

✅ Syllabus Clause:
“AI use is permitted when cited properly. Unattributed AI-generated work violates academic integrity.”

✅ Assignments to Try:

  • Compare AI answers with peer-reviewed sources.
  • Submit prompts alongside essays to show process.
  • Have students submit both their prompt and the AI’s response
  • Compare AI vs. human sources on the same topic
 

Final Thought

Citations aren’t just about avoiding plagiarism—they’re a record of how human and machine intelligence collaborated to push knowledge forward.

You’ll know what to do next when the silence between these words speaks to you.