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MLA Style Guide 9th Edition

Introduction

Use this template to quote or reproduce the text content generated by AI in your paper. 

Best practices recommended by the MLA Style Center: 

  • Cite the AI tool whenever you paraphrase, quote, or incorporate any part of the generated content 
  • Disclose any operational applications of such an A.I. tool, such as editing your writing or translating words, through a note, within your text, or at another appropriate location

Referencing Text Content Created by AI

Applying MLA's Template to cite generative AI 

Author

MLA does not recommend treating AI tool as an author

Title of Source

Description of AI-generated content, such as the prompt if not already done in the text

Title of Container

Name of AI tool, such as ChatGPT 

Version

The version of the model/tool used. NOTE: the format for the version number in ChatGPT example includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labelling versions

Publisher

Name of company that developed the tool

Date

Date the content was generated

Location

Provide the general URL for the tool
 

TEMPLATE

"Description of AI-generated content" description type. Name of AI tool, version, author, date, location. 

 

EXAMPLE

"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, https://chat.openai.com/chat. 

 

When creating an in-text citation for content created by AI, keep in mind that MLA Style recommends against treating the AI tool as an author. Instead, provide a shortened title of source.  

See examples below:

Reference Information  "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, https://chat.openai.com/chat. 
In-text Citation Guidelines

Examples                                                                                                           

 

Paraphrasing

 

 

According to ChatGPT, consider this as a paraphrased sentence ("Describe the symbolism").                        

 

Direct Quote

 

When asked to describe the symbolism of the green light in The Great Gatsby, ChatGPT provided "consider this a direct quote" ("Describe the symbolism").

Remember, in-text citation formatting changes depending on a number of factors.