University Library: AMA Referencing (Vancouver): Generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI)

Gen-AI acknowledgement

These recommendations are current as at July 2024. We may update or supplement these guidelines over time as tools evolve and practice recommendations for the use of Gen-AI develop.

Statement of acknowledgement of Gen-AI use

You must confirm whether the use of generative artificial intelligence (Gen-AI) has been explicitly allowed or required in your assessment task and how you may use it. Using Gen-AI to complete your assessment without explicit authorisation is a breach of academic integrity under University policy.

When using Gen-AI in assessments, a statement of acknowledgement is required. Your course coordinator will provide guidance on how to acknowledge your use of Gen-AI in your assessment.

In your acknowledgement you should provide:

A written statement acknowledging the use of Gen-AI

Specify what Gen-AI tools and technology were used

Include a list of prompts used

Explain how the outputs were used in your work

For example:

I acknowledge the use of [insert name of AI tool] to [insert description of usage]. The prompts used were [insert list of prompts]. The outputs generated from these prompts were used to XXX.

In addition to your statement of acknowledgment you should also adhere to the relevant referencing guidelines for advice on how to cite the use of Gen-AI in your in-text references and bibliography.

Citing Gen-AI

Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) tools

The AMA Manual of Style has released new guidelines on citing and referencing generative AI.

Section 5.2.1.1, Acknowledgment of Use of Artificial Intelligence and Language Models in Writing and Editing, outlines the new JAMA Network policy requiring authors to disclose any use of AI or similar tools in creating or editing their manuscripts

Authors should report the use of artificial intelligence, language models, machine learning, or similar technologies to create content or assist with writing or editing of manuscripts in the Acknowledgment section or the Methods section if this is part of formal research design or methods.This should include a description of the content that was created or edited and the name of the language model or tool, version and extension numbers, and manufacturer. (Note: this does not include basic tools for checking grammar, spelling, references, etc.)

Section 5.1.12 Use of Artifical Intelligence and Language Models, prohibits the use of artificial intelligence or similar technologies/tools as authors.

Nonhuman artificial intelligence, language models, machine learning, or similar technologies cannot be listed as authors because these technologies do not qualify for authorship. If these models or tools are used to create content or assist with writing or manuscript preparation, authors must take responsibility for the integrity of the content generated by these tools. Authors should report the use of artificial intelligence, language models, machine learning, or similar technologies to create content or assist with writing or editing of manuscripts in the Acknowledgment section or Methods section if this is part of formal research design or methods.

How to cite Generative AI tools in course work, if allowed:

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT generate text in response to parameters entered by the user. AI generated content is an example of a nonrecoverable unpublished source (similar to personal communications AMA 3.13.10 & NLM Style Guides) meaning that the content produced is not accessible to anyone other than the person who generated it, hence there would be no entry in the reference list. As there is no entry in the reference list, the details of the tool used should be provided in-text. Instead of a reference list entry, provide an acknowledgment after the reference list detailing which tools were used, to what extent, and descriptions of how the information was generated, including the exact wording of prompts used.

Use this format for: ChatGPT

In-text: (Name of AI Tool, type of communication, Month DD, YYYY)

Reference list: Unpublished works should not be included in the reference list, as they cannot be traced.

Acknowledgment: Provide a description of the AI tool used, what you did and the date accessed.

Minimum information needed (in bold):

Name of the AI Tool
Type of communication (response to a question, online chat)
Date (Month, Day, Year)

Important notes:

Create in-text reference
No reference list entry
Include acknowledgement after the reference list detailing how the AI tool was used. See example in the link below.

In-text reference

(Name of AI Tool, type of communication, Month DD, YYYY)

...(ChatGPT, response to question from author, April 06, 2023)

In an online chat with ChatGPT (April 06, 2023) ...

In response to the question ..., ChatGPT (April 06, 2023) gave the following response ...

Acknowledgement (Appendix)

Include a record of each question/ prompt, the date and the response in an appendix after the reference list. See example in the link below.

Acknowledging the use of AI tools
An acknowlegement must be included in your assignment after your reference list.

University Academic Integrity Policy
It is important to understand that using AI can represent a breach of academic integrity, which can be detected by Turnitin and may require investigation and under University policy and procedure.
University Academic Integrity Procedure
If you use AI to create work for an assessment task, and then submit it as your own when AI has not been explicitly allowed, this is a form of cheating. The use of GPT represents contribution by a third party, therefore this work is not your own work. Where AI is expressly permitted in an assessment task, it must be declared i.e., cited and referenced to clearly identify what is your own original contribution and what is the work of others.