Always ask your instructor or consult your course outline to confirm:
Whether AI tools are allowed
To what extent they may be used
How your use of AI should be documented or cited
Instructors may have additional or alternative requirements, so review assignment instructions carefully before you begin.
Always verify AI-generated information and any sources it produces.
AI tools may:
generate inaccurate, oversimplified, or exaggerated information and summaries
fabricate citations or sources (“hallucinations”)
recommend promotional or low-quality websites as reliable sources
Consultation with the GB Library's guide on Responsible Use of Generative AI is recommended to understand key terms, how to evaluate outputs, academic integrity, harm considerations, and copyright.
Please note uploading library e-resources to GenAI tools is not permitted and may constitute copyright infringement. Please refer to our Copyright Best Practices for more details.
The guidance provided here is based on:
AI Company Name. (year, month day). Title of chat in italics [Description, such as Generative AI chat]. Tool Name/Model. URL of the chat
| When to Use | Use this when citing information from a specific AI chat, and a shareable link to the chat is available. | |
| Example |
OpenAI. (2025, December 08). Responsible use of AI [Generative AI chat]. ChatGPT. https://chatgpt.com/share/69373364-dd88-8012-bf8e-b3f1cf46bb62 Note: The date is when the chat occurred. Before creating the reference, try editing the chat title to be clear and descriptive. You can get the chat URL through the sharing options. |
|
| In-Text Paraphrase | (OpenAI, 2025) | |
| In-Text Quote |
(OpenAI, 2025, para. 1) |
|
| Best Practices |
Describe or include your prompt in the text, notes, or appendix to increase transparency and help readers understand the nature and extent of your AI use. Example: I provided the following prompt to ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2025): “Please summarize the key principles of responsible AI use for postsecondary students.” After reviewing the initial response, I refined the prompt by asking ChatGPT to include examples relevant to academic work, and add a brief note on appropriate citation practices. |
AI Company Name. (year). Tool Name/Model in Italics and Title Case [Description; e.g., Large language model]. URL of the tool
| When to Use | When the AI tool doesn't provide a shareable link to the chat. | |
| Example |
Microsoft. (2025). Copilot for Microsoft 365 [Large language model]. https://copilot.microsoft.com/ Note: The date is the year in which the AI tool was most recently updated. If you are unsure of the date, ask the AI. |
|
| In-Text Paraphrase | (Microsoft, 2025) | |
|
Best Practices (In-Text Paraphrase) |
Describe or include your prompt in the text, notes, or appendix to increase transparency and help readers understand the nature and extent of your AI use. Example: I provided the following prompt to Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft, 2025): “Please summarize the key principles of responsible AI use for postsecondary students.” After reviewing the initial response, I refined the prompt by asking Copilot to include examples relevant to academic work, and add a brief note on appropriate citation practices. |
|
| In-Text Quote | (Microsoft, 2025, para. 2; See Appendix A for the full transcript) | |
| Best Practices (In-Text Quote) |
Include the full text of the chat in the appendix and indicate this in your in-text citation (see above).
|
AI Company Name. (year). Tool Name/Model in Italics and Title Case [Description; e.g., Large language model]. URL of the tool
| When to Use | When you use the tool but not citing specific information from it. Examples include, but are not limited to: using AI for editing or translating your work, refining code, generating visual materials, or receiving tutoring support during the research process. |
| Example |
Google. (2025). Gemini [Large language model]. https://gemini.google.com Note: The date is the year in which the AI tool was most recently updated. If you are unsure of the date, ask the AI. |
| In-Text | (Google, 2025) |
| Best Practices |
In addition to citing the tool, you may also include a general statement in your text, notes, or appendix explaining how AI was used. Example: “I used ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2025) to help locate sources and edit my essay.” |