In-text citations are included throughout your writing, to acknowledge the sources of information you have used to build and support your ideas. In the IEEE style, numbers are used to denote in-text citations in your work. Numbers are allocated consecutively to each reference when cited for the first time in the text of the assignment (i.e., the first citation that appears in-text is number one, the next unique citation that appears in-text is number 2 and so on). This number becomes the unique identifier of that source and if the source is cited again in-text, the same number is used.
IEEE uses numbers in square brackets in-text, e.g., [1], [2], [3]. Grammatically, these numbers can be used as footnotes or as nouns.
Examples:
Footnote numbers
The theory was first put forward in 1987 [1].
Smith [2] has argued …
Several recent studies [1], [3], [4], [10], [12] have suggested…
Nouns
As seen in [2] …
According to [4] and [6]-[8] …
In contrast to [5, p. 7], it is evident that …
Quoting is when you copy the exact words from another source into your work.
Examples:
“Primary energy demand is mainly satisfied by fossil fuels, which has pushed them to the brink of depletion” [1, p. 64].
OR
Deshmukh [1, p. 64] states “primary energy demand is mainly satisfied by fossil fuels…”
OR
As seen in [1, p. 64], “primary energy demand is mainly satisfied by fossil fuels…”
OR, for a range
“Primary energy demand is mainly satisfied by fossil fuels, which has pushed them to the brink of depletion. To decelerate the fast depletion of mineral sources of fuels, it is crucial to seek alternative resources that are renewable and sustainable in nature.” [1, pp. 64-65].
If a source has two authors and you want to use an author prominent citation, include both authors. If a source has three or more authors, the first author should be named, followed by et al. This would then be followed by the citation number.
Examples:
As outlined by Amador-Perez and Rodriguez-Solis [2] …
Jahn et al. [3] states …
When citing multiple sources, include separate citation numbers for each source. These can also be grouped as a range if the citation numbers are consecutive.
Examples:
Both [3] and [5] discuss the need for emergency backup power sources.
Power system blackouts can be caused in many varied ways. [3-5]
Tools like Open AI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard, and Writesonic’s ChatSonic produce text in response to prompts. Other tools produce music, art, and code. They are examples of nonrecoverable sources, meaning the content they produce is not accessible to anyone other than the person who generated it. People cannot be directed to a particular location to find it. Additionally, they are not considered scholarly sources as their responses are based on the datasets they are trained on and the true origin of the information is unknown.
Content produced by generative AI (gen-AI) may be inaccurate, unreliable and unethical, and may contain errors, biases, or other issues. Before you begin your assignment, check your unit outline and assignment guidelines, or ask your lecturer as using the tools may be prohibited. If you have been provided with specific guidelines on how to reference gen-AI outputs within your unit, you should follow them.
If you are allowed to use gen-AI in your assignment, you must include:
Note: Information about referencing ChatGPT and other gen-AI tools will continue to be updated. Check for updates on this evolving topic.
A declaration must be included in your assignment after your reference list. It should detail which tools you have used to generate content in the process of completing your assignment and how they have been employed. The declaration must include the prompts you have used to generate information.
The format should be as follows:
I acknowledge the use of (insert AI tool name and URL) in the preparation and/or writing of my assignment. I have used (insert AI tool name) to assist with: (delete items from the following list that do not apply):
The following prompts were input into (insert AI tool name):
Declaration example
I acknowledge the use of ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com/chat) in the preparation and/or writing of my assignment. I have used ChatGPT to assist with:
The following prompts were input into ChatGPT:
In accordance with the IEEE Referencing Guide, when you have quoted or paraphrased text generated by AI or generated by an AI tool, you must include an in-text citation, which links to an entry in your reference list. This will take the same form as referencing an unpublished Personal Communication.
In-text citation
Assign a number in square brackets, as you would with any other in-text reference. For example, an information prominent citation would be:
[2].
And an author prominent citation would be:
According to ChatGPT [2]…
If quoting
Use quotation marks to distinguish between your own words and the words generated by the tool:
Both Macs and PCs are widely used in households throughout Australia; and while the debate over which one is better continues “both platforms have evolved, and the gap between them has narrowed in terms of hardware and software capabilities” [2].
Note Declaration: Ensure the prompt used is included in the declaration.
Multiple sources
If the GenAI text discusses theories or specific ideas, you should include additional sources as evidence that these are supported by scholarly research. Use the numbers assigned to each reference you are using, each in their own set of square brackets, one after the other:
The development of creative skills can offer a range of benefits, including enhancing problem-solving by encouraging divergent, out-of-the-box thinking [2][3].
Provide a reference list entry for each additional source used, following the appropriate format (journal article, webpage, etc.).
Ensure the prompt used for the gen-AI is included in the declaration.
Reference list entry
A GenAI reference list entry has a similar format as an unpublished private communication reference, with the prompts used included:
[Source citation number] Name of tool used, “Prompt”, date, abbreviated Month. year.
[2] ChatGPT, “Are Macs better than PCs?”, 30 Nov. 2023.