Skip to Main Content

Citation Guide: Artificial Intelligence (AI)

MLA Example 1: Paraphrasing Text

Passage in Source

Screenshot of ChatGPT response about symbolism of the green light in The Great Gatsby.

Paraphrased in Your Prose

While the green light in The Great Gatsby might be said to chiefly symbolize four main things: optimism, the unattainability of the American dream, greed, and covetousness (“Describe the symbolism”), arguably the most important—the one that ties all four themes together—is greed.

Works-Cited-List Entry

“Describe the symbolism of the green light in the book The

          Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald” prompt. 

          ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 8 Mar. 2023,

          chat.openai.com/chat.

"How do I cite generative AI in MLA style?" MLA Style Center, 17 Mar 2023,

           https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/

           Accessed 20 Apr. 2023.

Using the MLA template to cite AI

Update August 2023: NoodleTools has added an AI MLA citation generator. Find it under the Website tab.

 

"How do I cite generative AI in MLA style?" MLA Style Center, 17 Mar 2023,

           https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/

           Accessed 20 Apr. 2023.

MLA Example 2: Quoting Text

Passage in Source

Screenshot of ChatGPT reply to prompt about describing the symbolism of the green light in The Great Gatsby

Screenshot of ChatGPT reply to prompt about providing scholarly sources used to generate a description.

Quoted in Your Prose

When asked to describe the symbolism of the green light in The Great GatsbyChatGPT provided a summary about optimism, the unattainability of the American dream, greed, and covetousness. However, when further prompted to cite the source on which that summary was based, it noted that it lacked “the ability to conduct research or cite sources independently” but that it could “provide a list of scholarly sources related to the symbolism of the green light in The Great Gatsby” (“In 200 words”).

Works-Cited-List Entry

“In 200 words, describe the symbolism of the green light in The

           Great Gatsby” follow-up prompt to list sources. 

           ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 9 Mar. 2023,

           chat.openai.com/chat.

"How do I cite generative AI in MLA style?" MLA Style Center, 17 Mar 2023,

           https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/

           Accessed 20 Apr. 2023.

United Nations International School, Hanoi