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Albert S. Cook Library

Thinking Through Gen AI

Explore how Generative AI tools can support academic reading, writing, and research. Includes tool tutorials, citation guidance, accessibility tips, and more.

Acknowledge Your Tools

Remember to acknowledge your use of Gen AI wherever appropriate, such as in a Methods section, where you describe your use of other tools, or in a Bibliography. The State of Maryland provides this sample acknowledgment:

This content was [drafted, edited, translated, created] with the assistance of a generative AI tool [ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, etc]. The content has been reviewed and verified to be accurate and complete, and represents the intent of [office, department, the State, or person's name].

Other Sample Acknowledgements

  • I used [AI tool name] to generate potential research topics and create a starting outline. I then refined the outline based on my own ideas, voice, and additional research. All final content reflects my personal analysis and conclusions.  
  • I used [AI tool name] to identify grammar issues and offer alternative phrasing during revision. I reviewed all suggestions and made final editing decisions myself. The arguments and ideas presented are entirely my own.

Document Chatbot Conversations

Including a blanket acknowledgement statement (like those provided above) wherever you publish or submit an assignment is a good first step to citing Gen AI. However, your instructor may ask you to share the transcript of your chatbot conversation. This template walks you through the necessary components of documenting Gen AI use.

Citing Gen AI Overview

The Big Three citation styles—APA, Chicago, and MLA—offer guidance on how to cite Generative AI. When citing AI-generated content, include:

  1. Prompt Text: Describe what was generated by the AI tool.
  2. AI Tool: The name of the AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, or Claude).
  3. Version: Name the version of the AI tool as specifically as possible.
  4. AI Tool Developer: The company that created the AI (e.g., OpenAI created ChatGPT, Microsoft created Copilot, and Anthropic created Claude).
  5. Date: Include the date the content was generated.
  6. URL: Give the URL for the tool or, when possible, provide a direct link to your conversation.

Citing Gen AI Tutorial

Generative artificial intelligence aka Gen AI tools are changing our relationships with work, school, and each other. It can be very helpful for certain tasks, like translating across languages or providing alternative text for images. However, it can also foster overreliance on the technology and minimize long-term learning. This brief activity will help you understand how and when to use Gen AI at TU.

Select the ✥ icon in the top right to make this activity full screen.