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Northwestern Campus Library

Northwestern AI in Education

Resources for faculty and students at CT State Northwestern on AI in education, including practical applications, ethical considerations, and more.

Citing AI-Generated Content

Check our How to Cite Your Work guide for help with citing AI-generated content. While citation practices for AI are still evolving, academic institutions and style guides such as APA, MLA, and Chicago have provided recommendations on how to credit AI when it is used for research, writing assistance, or idea generation.

This guide provides best practices for citing AI-generated content in various citation styles and offers guidance on ethical considerations when using AI in academic work.

When Should You Cite AI?

You should cite AI-generated content if you:

  • Directly quote AI responses in a paper, presentation, or project.
  • Summarize or paraphrase ideas that come from an AI-generated response.
  • Use AI for data analysis, code generation, or problem-solving and include AI-generated material in your work.
  • Rely on AI to create an outline, structure, or brainstorming notes that significantly shape your final work.

You do not need to cite AI if:

  • You used it as a personal tutor to help clarify concepts but did not include AI-generated text.
  • AI simply assisted with grammar, spelling, or formatting without contributing to the content of your work.

Always check with your professor or institution about their policies regarding AI use in assignments.