Acknowledge and reference AI use
Acknowledging and referencing how you have used Artificial intelligence (AI) for your assessment shows honesty, transparency, and respect for the work of others.
Only using AI when allowed and acknowledging or referencing how you use it:
- protects your academic reputation
- demonstrates your integrity
- helps your teachers understand your learning process—what you achieved on your own and what you did with the help of AI.
Watch Acknowledging and referencing AI use (YouTube, 1m 27s):
When the use of AI is allowed, your course coordinator might ask you to:
- reference AI using citation practices (e.g. using a referencing style such as APA or MLA)
- acknowledge AI using a form, template or cover sheet
- both describe how you use AI (acknowledge) and cite your AI use (reference).
If you are allowed to use AI in an assessment, you must follow the course coordinator's instructions. Your course profile will have guidance on how to acknowledge any permitted use of AI in your assessments, which might include:
- an assignment coversheet (acknowledge how you used it)
- citing or referencing in the text or list of references (citation).
Different disciplines may have different requirements for acknowledging the use of AI.
- Check with your course coordinator or check your course profile (linked in my.UQ) for the preferred method for your course.
- Acknowledge your use of AI has detailed guidance on how to acknowledge your use of AI.
Acknowledge AI by identifying what tools you used and what you used them for.
How you acknowledge the use of AI will depend on the context.
Simple example of how to acknowledge
You used ChatGPT to help write a discussion board post:
- Add the statement, “ChatGPT was used to refine this post”, to the end of the post.
Complex example of how to acknowledge
You are allowed to use AI in your assessment:
- Use the cover sheet or template provided by your course coordinator, or
- Create a table, if your course coordinator does not provide a cover sheet.
| Tool | Use | Prompts | Section | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT 4o | Initial idea generation that I adapted | Brainstorm ideas around how sustainable development goals can be applied locally | Framework on p 18 | 6 January 2025 |
| Claude 3.5 | Generating a draft conclusion that I adapted | Provide a summary of Chapters 3, 4, and 5 | Conclusions (p 30, 31) | 10 January 2025 |
| Grammarly EDU | Used to check spelling and grammar and edit my final document | Enhance my text to improve clarity and expression | Entire work | 14 January 2025 |
| Microsoft Copilot | Used to modify the written tone/style of the introduction | Rewrite this paragraph so that the tone is appropriate for a university assignment | Introduction (p 2) | 14 January 2025 |
Acknowledging use of machine translation
The UQ Library maintains an up-to-date guide on citing machine translation to acknowledge your use of machine translation tools in your assessment.
Have you included the following information when acknowledging the use of AI tools?
- AI tool (e.g. Microsoft Copilot, Chat-GPT, Claude)
- Description of how you used the tool (e.g. edited/corrected/translated/planned/brainstormed)
- Prompts used
- Part, section or page of the assessment piece
- Date.
Download the Checklist for acknowledging AI use (PDF, 108.05 KB).
Always ask your course coordinator about acknowledging AI.
If your assessment requires the use of AI tools to be cited, you must reference all the content from AI tools that you include in the referencing style used in your course.
Example of citing AI using APA format
ChatGPT example
- You write in your assessment (in-text citation):When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialised, “the notation that people can be characterised as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).
- You add the citation to the reference list: OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
Microsoft Copilot example
- In text citation: The following prompt in Microsoft Copilot, "What will it take to achieve the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals by 2023?", generated the response that it is a "complex and ambitious task" (Microsoft, 2025).
- Reference list: Microsoft. (2025). Copilot [Large language model]. https://copilot.cloud.microsoft/
Read more about how to cite AI in APA. Each referencing style will have information specific to citing AI.
Further resources:
- The UQ Library maintains an up-to-date guide on how to cite or reference AI in assessments with examples.
- Acknowledging or referencing the use of AI from the University of Sydney “AI in Education” resource co-created by students and staff.
By acknowledging or referencing AI use, you’re following UQ’s rules and maintaining academic integrity. This helps enhance the trust in our degrees, ensures an equal opportunity for all students, and supports the positive reputation of your UQ education.