When providing citations for Generative AI text in APA style, please note that the most recent APA style guide (the 7th edition) does not include information on citing generative GenAI tools.
That said, the official APA Style blog has posted best practice guidelines. The two approaches based on the APA Style blog post are outlined in the video below.
In both scenarios, it is recommended to include both the input (i.e. the prompt) and the output (i.e. the GenAI response) as an appendix.
Please also note that your instructor may have specific, additional, or alternative requirements around the use of GenAI tools, so always consult your assignment or course outline before you begin.
For GenAI tools that provide a stable link to the conversation, treat GenAI prompts and responses as a website.
In-Text Citation
If using the AI-generated text in your work, the following is an example of what the in-text citation would look like for both a paraphrase and direct quotation. Remember to include the full citation in your References List.
Paraphrase
Format:
|
Paraphrased text (Author of AI tool, Year prompt/responses created). |
Example:
|
While it would be misleading to label ChatGPT's recognition of bias as awareness, the responses to our test prompts did detail both the presence and limitations of bias mitigation processes (OpenAl, 2024). |
Direct Quotation
Format:
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"Quoted text" (Author of AI tool, Year prompt/responses created, Paragraph number). |
Example:
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The ChatGPT output suggests that Generative AI tools "by themselves, cannot fully recognize or mitigate their inherent biases" (OpenAI, 2024, para. 1). |
Reference List
Format:
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Author of AI tool. (Date prompt/responses created). Title of conversation. Name of AI website. URL of website conversation |
Example:
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OpenAI. (September 3, 2024). AI bias mitigation methods. ChatGPT. https://chatgpt.com/share/fdec7366-3ee1-4381-98ba-7265c6f33069 |
For GenAI tools that do not provide a stable link to the conversation, treat GenAI prompts and responses as software.
In-Text Citation
In scenarios where a stable link is not provided, here's an example of what the in-text citation would look for both a paraphrase and direct quotation. Remember to include the full citation in your References List.
Paraphrase
Format:
| Paraphrased text (Author of AI tool, Year software version was released). |
Example:
|
The Copilot output highlighted that training data may underrepresent people depending on considerations of race, ethnicity, and more (Microsoft, 2023). |
Direct Quote
When providing a direct quote, it is good practice to include a copy of the conversation in an appendix (e.g., transcript or screenshots of conversation) and reference in the in-text citation the first time you use a quotation (e.g. "See Appendix A for the full transcript").
Format:
| "Quoted text" (Author of AI tool, Year software version was released, Paragraph number, Appendix call out). |
Example:
|
The Copilot output did highlight that "people from racial, ethnic, or cultural minorities may be underrepresented in the training data" (Microsoft, 2023, para. 2; See Appendix A for the full transcript). |
Reference List
Format:
|
Author of AI tool. (Year software version was released). Title of AI software tool (Version # if available) [Type of model]. Retrieval date, from URL of software tool |
Example:
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Microsoft. (2023). Copilot for Microsoft 365 [Large multimodal model]. Retrieved May 24, 2024, from https://copilot.microsoft.com/ |