Question:
How should I cite and reference the output from an AI tool in my reference list?
The advice on AI-related referencing and citation may change in the future, so refresh your knowledge on a regular basis.
For AGLC, Chicago and Harvard (AUS), these materials are considered nonrecoverable sources, as they are not retrievable except by the user who generated them. Typically for non-recoverable sources:
- cite within the text as personal communications or correspondence
- do not include in a reference list
For APA and Vancouver (AMA), use the Software rule (see below). Citing software requires
- an in-text citation and
- a reference list entry
Examples of in-text citation styles
| Style | General format | Example | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| AGLC |
Output from [Program], [Creator] to [Recipient], Full Date. Discursive text may be used in the footnote to provide information about the prompts used to generate the output, in accordance with Rule 1.1.5. An appendix may be used in order to provide comprehensive information about the series of prompts and outputs used to generate the output. |
1. Output from ChatGPT, OpenAI to Jamie Bond, 4 May 2023. 2. Output from ChatGPT, OpenAI to Jamie Bond, 5 May 2023. The output was generated in response to the prompt, ‘Provide an overview of the Australian legal system’: see below Appendix A. |
Rule 7.12 Written correspondence |
| APA 7th | (Author, Date) |
(OpenAI, 2023) |
Rule 10.10 Software |
| Chicago | Author, Month Day, Year, Publisher, URL. |
1. Text generated by ChatGPT, March 7, 2023, OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com/chat. |
Personal communication style 14.214 |
| Harvard (AUS) | (Communicator, personal communication, Day Month Year) |
(OpenAI's ChatGPT AI language model, personal communication, 15 February 2023) |
|
| Vancouver (AMA) | Use a superscript number in text, e.g. ChatGPT1 was used to reformat the information in Table 1. | 1. ChatGPT. Version Mar 14. OpenAI; 2023. Accessed March 28, 2023. https://openai.com/ |
3.15.6 Software |
It may be useful to include the full text and date of your query and the generated response as an appendix to your document so that the reader can understand the context.
You should independently verify any information generated by AI tools and then cite and reference the sources used in that process.
If you are submitting a manuscript for publication, comply with the publisher's guidelines for authors. This may be different to the advice in this FAQ.
This FAQ will be reviewed for the start of each semester.
Links & Files
- Australian Guide to Legal Citation (Library Research Guide)
- APA Referencing (Library Research Guide)
- Chicago Referencing (Library Research Guide)
- Harvard (Aus) referencing (Library Research Guide)
- Vancouver (AMA 11th) referencing (Library Research Guide)
- How do I cite and reference non-textual outputs generated by AI tools?
- Bond University Generative AI tools FAQs (February 2023) - PDF
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