After sharing my visual guide on how to cite GPT in APA, I got several requests for an MLA version. So here it is based directly on the official MLA guidelines (source link included in the visual).
A few quick notes:
- I used “ChatGPT” in the title for convenience, it’s the most commonly used tool, but these guidelines apply to any generative AI system (Claude, Gemini, Copilot, etc.).
- MLA does not recognize AI tools as authors. Instead, you describe the content generated and credit the tool in the container field.
- Compared to APA, MLA takes a more flexible approach. They encourage authors to adapt their recommendations when reasonable. That flexibility is important, especially as generative AI continues to evolve faster than most style guides can keep up. For example, when MLA first issued these guidelines, tools like ChatGPT didn’t allow shareable URLs for chat sessions—hence the use of a general URL in the citation. But now that shareable links exist, MLA allows you to include those if it makes sense for your context.
Check the MLA site for the full breakdown.
When to Cite
- You quote, paraphrase, or insert any AI-generated content.
- You use AI to edit, translate, or summarize, acknowledge this in a note or in your text.
- AI provides sources, verify and cite them yourself.
📚 MLA Citation Formula
“Description of prompt or output.” AI Tool, Version, Company, Date, URL.
Never list the AI as the author.
Quoting or Paraphrasing AI Text
Prompt:
Explain the role of fate in Macbeth in 100 words.
Citation:
“Explain the role of fate in Macbeth in 100 words” prompt. ChatGPT, 4 June version, OpenAI, 20 June 2025, chat.openai.com/chat
Creative Writing (Titled)
Prompt:
Write a haiku titled Autumn Fog
Citation:
Autumn Fog haiku about seasonal change. ChatGPT, 4 June version, OpenAI, 21 June 2025, chat.openai.com/chat
Creative Writing (Untitled)
Prompt:
Write a free verse poem about walking through a desert storm.
Citation:
“Sand stings the silence…” poem about walking through a desert storm. ChatGPT, 4 June version, OpenAI, 21 June 2025, chat.openai.com/chat
AI-Generated Image
Prompt:
Surrealist painting of a crow flying over a city at night
Citation:
“Surrealist painting of a crow flying over a city at night” prompt. DALL·E, v3, OpenAI, 22 June 2025, labs.openai.com/
AI-Cited Secondary Source
Scenario:
You ask Claude to explain Foucault’s “panopticism.” It references Discipline and Punish but you don’t read it yourself.
Correct Move:
Either read and cite Foucault, or say:
According to Claude, drawing on Michel Foucault’s Discipline and Punish, the panopticon is a metaphor for modern surveillance (Foucault).
Then cite Foucault directly in your works cited.
Quick Reminders
Do:
- Use descriptive titles for prompts
- Specify tool version and date
- Provide general or shareable URL
Don’t:
- Credit the AI as the author
- Trust its references without verification
Quick Recap Table
| Component | Rule |
|---|---|
| Author | Omit, AI is not the author |
| Title | Describe the prompt or use user-given title |
| Tool/Version | List AI tool, version, date |
| Publisher | List company (e.g., OpenAI) |
| Date | Date of content generation |
| Location | General or shareable URL |
| In-text | Use shortened prompt or title in parentheses |
Here is the poster I create capturing main insights from this post:
Here is the PDF guide
