New Media

When writing a research paper you will use a wide variety of resources.  You are required to cite your sources for two main reasons:

1. To give credit to the creator of the original idea.  By citing you will avoid any charges of plagiarism.
2. To enable readers of your paper to be able to find the resources you have used and consult them to read further on the topic.

For more information, check Why We Cite and How to Avoid Plagiarism.

MLA Style is commonly used in the arts, literature and the humanities.

Style and Formatting Help

MLA Formatting and Style Guide from Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)

Official MLA Style Guide  

MLA Handbook

MLA Plus (online version of 9th ed. of the MLA Handbook)

MLA Plus

Style and Formatting Guides

Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition from Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)

Chicago Basic Style Guide from Student Learning Support (Toronto Metropolitan University)

Official Versions 

Chicago Manual of Style. 17th Edition. 
10th floor. Call number: Z253 U69 2017 (1 week loan)

Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition 
10th floor, Call number:  Z253 .U69 2010

Any time your work has been produced or aided by someone or something other than yourself, you need to provide credit with a citation. This also applies to artificial intelligence tools.

Artificial intelligence tools include but are not limited to:

• Chatbots like Gemini and Copilot
• Text to image AI like Dall-E, Canva Image Generator, Craiyon, Adobe Firefly
• Writing aids like Grammarly, Writesonic, Wordtune

If you use a GenAI chatbot like Gemini to find information from other websites, you must cite website (or other secondary sources). You may also have to cite the GenAI and/or write a statement describing how AI was used. Check your course outline for classes; for submissions to academic journals, check the publisher or journal website. 

Consult with your instructor before using any form of artificial intelligence (ChatGPT, Grammarly, etc.) for your work. If you have been given permission to use AI tools, you must always cite the tool you used.

Under Policy 60, Appendix A, Section 3.1, instructors could consider the use of AI as cheating under the following statement: "having ready access to and/or using aids or devices (including wireless communication devices) not expressly allowed by the instructor during an examination, test, quiz, or other evaluation."

The Senate has approved the following changes to Appendix A of Policy 60, specifically, under the category of "Misrepresentation of Personal Identity or Performance":

5.5. submitting work created in whole or in part by artificial intelligence tools unless expressly permitted by the Faculty/Contract Lecturer;

5.6. submitting work that does not reasonably demonstrate your own knowledge, understanding and performance

For more information on Academic Integrity and AI, visit Artificial Intelligence FAQs.

The 9th edition of the MLA style guide does not currently have specific language on citing AI. The format below is from the MLA Style Center webpage, "How do I cite generative AI in MLA style?". Guidance may change with the next edition.

In-Text Citations

In MLA, there is no 'author' when citing AI. Use the prompt you typed into the tool to generate a response instead.

Format

("Shortened prompt")

Example

("Help me learn about tariffs")

Works Cited List

Format

"Prompt text" prompt. Model, version date, Corporation, Date retrieved, URL of Model

Example

"Help me learn about tariffs. Start with a detailed write up that explains what it is and why it's important" prompt. Gemini, 25 Mar. version, Google, 2 Apr. 2025. https://gemini.google.com/

"List the themes in Animal Farm" prompt. ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 8 Mar. 2023. chat.openai.com/chat

The 18th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style guide contains guidance around citing generative AI in the following sections:

• 14.112: Citing AI-generated Content
• 3.38: Crediting Adapted Material

According to CMOS 18, any reliance on AI must be made clear somewhere in the text, preface, or other appropriate section. If referring to specific content generated by AI, whether it is quoted or paraphrased, a citation is required either in the text or in a note.

Footnote

When quoting or paraphrasing content generated by AI, cite your use of AI either in the text or in a note.

Format (Note)

If the prompt is included in the text:

1. Text generated by AI Model & Version number, Developer, Date retrieved, URL for public link.

If the prompt has not been included in the text, it can be added to the note. Multiple prompts in an extended conversation can be summarized.

1. Response to "Prompt," AI Model & Version number, Developer, Date retrieved, URL for public link.

Example (Note)

If the prompt is included in the text:

1. Text generated by ChatGPT, OpenAI, March 7, 2023, https://chatgpt.com/share/67e312f8-7c3c-800f-9841-c03e1666477d.

2. Text generated by Gemini 2.0 Flash, Google, April 2, 2025, https://docs.google.com/document/d/1am9Sf2MZF-JqnX63y1ZVdai7rFlPoX0VuB5o4U1JgqQ/edit?usp=sharing.

If the prompt has not been included in the body of your text:

1. Response to “Recipe for sourdough,” ChatGPT-4, OpenAI, March 7, 2023, https://chatgpt.com/share/67e312f8-7c3c-800f-9841-c03e1666477d.

2. Response to "Help me learn about trade tariffs. Start with a detailed write up that explains what it is and why it's important, then include 2 examples from the real world. Finally include a list of links for more info." Gemini 2.0 Flash, Google, April 2, 2025, https://g.co/gemini/share/7e0a6f19e866

Example (Cited in Text)

The following recipe for sourdough was generated on March 25, 2025, by ChatGPT-4.

The following write-up and examples about trade tariffs were generated on April 2, 2025, by Gemini 2.0 Flash.

Bibliography

Chatbot conversations do not usually need to be included in a bibliography or reference list. If there's a need to include an AI conversation in a bibliography, cite using the publisher or developer of the tool.

Format

Developer. Response to "Prompt." AI Model & Version number, Date retrieved. URL for public link.

Example

OpenAI. Response to "What is a literature review?" ChatGPT-4, March 25, 2025. https://chatgpt.com/share/67e30b33-bbe0-800f-ae5f-23cc57f4bcd6.

Google. Response to "Help me learn about trade tariffs. Start with a detailed write up that explains what it is and why it's important, then include 2 examples from the real world. Finally include a list of links for more info." Gemini 2.0 Flash, April 2, 2025. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1am9Sf2MZF-JqnX63y1ZVdai7rFlPoX0VuB5o4U1JgqQ/edit?usp=sharing..

What is a public link and how do I create a public link?

A public or shared link allows you to share your conversation with a chatbot with anyone. How you create this link will vary so look up the guidance for the specific product you're using. For instance, here is the ChatGPT Shared Links FAQ. Note that the institutional version of Gemini subscribed to by TMU does not allow for the creation of a public link. Instead, copy or export your prompt to a Google doc, and then share the link to that doc. 

Illustrations and Tables

If you have used generative AI to create an image, note its use in the figure caption.

Format

Fig #. Image generated by AI Model & Version number, Date retrieved, from the prompt "Prompt."

Example

Fig 3. Image generated by ChatGPT-4, March 25, 2025, from the prompt "Image of a futuristic city skyline."