Key points at a glance
- There is no single citation rule for ChatGPT; your institution’s policy comes first.
- Explain what you used the tool for and how you checked or changed the output.
- Do not treat generated text as a substitute for primary research or verified sources.
- Protect personal, confidential and unpublished information when using any AI service.
Check whether and how ChatGPT may be used
Universities may distinguish between brainstorming, language editing, translation, coding and generating academic arguments. Read the current policy for your programme and record the permitted use before writing.
If you need approval or a declaration, ask early. A statement added after submission may not satisfy a requirement to document the process contemporaneously.
Describe the tool’s actual contribution
A transparent note can explain the tool, version or service, date, purpose and the way you verified the result. Say whether you used it for language support, ideas, code, structure or another limited task.
Your own analysis and the sources that support it remain your responsibility. Do not present an AI response as an independent scholarly source without checking its claims.
Verify every factual and bibliographic claim
Language models can invent references, quote sources inaccurately and omit important qualifications. Trace claims to the original publication, official data or authoritative documentation before including them.
Keep a record of important prompts when the policy requires it, but remove personal or confidential information. The record should make your process reproducible without exposing protected material.
Place the disclosure where readers can find it
Use the position and wording required by your department, such as a methodology note, appendix, declaration or footnote. Keep the statement specific enough to distinguish permitted assistance from your own scholarly work.
If the policy provides a reference format, follow it exactly. General online examples are not a replacement for local rules.
Final submission context
Formal details can feel like a separate writing task, but they matter just as much for a printed submission. Anything missing, misplaced or inconsistently formatted in the document will also appear in the bound copy.
Use this guide together with your cover page, table of contents, page numbers, source notes and appendices. Prepare the final PDF for printing and binding only after the complete file has been checked.
Practical check before PDF export
- Do headings, chapter structure and page numbers match?
- Are sources, figures and tables included completely?
- Are required elements such as declarations, appendices or the cover page included where required?
- Did you open and check the final PDF after exporting it?
Checklist
- The programme’s current AI policy was checked.
- The purpose and scope of ChatGPT use are documented.
- Important facts and references were checked against original sources.
- Prompts and outputs do not expose confidential or personal data.
- The disclosure appears in the required section or appendix.
- The final text reflects my own analysis and responsibility.
Common mistakes
- Treating ChatGPT output as automatically factual.
- Citing a model instead of the original academic source.
- Hiding language, translation or brainstorming assistance when disclosure is required.
- Uploading confidential interviews, source code or personal data.
- Using a generic citation example without checking university rules.
Finish the documented submission file
When your AI disclosure and sources are checked, prepare the final PDF for printing and binding.
View thesis printing optionsRelated content
Explore related guidance on thesis structure, sources, formatting and final submission.
Frequently asked questions
Is ChatGPT a scholarly source?
A generated response is not a substitute for a verifiable scholarly source. Use the original publications or official documents that support your claim.
Do I have to include my prompts?
Only the applicable university policy can answer that for your programme. If a record is required, document the relevant prompts without exposing protected information.
Can ChatGPT proofread my thesis?
Some programmes allow language assistance, while others require disclosure or restrict it. Check the policy and keep your argument and evidence under your control.
What if ChatGPT gives me a false reference?
Remove it and verify every retained reference independently in a library catalogue, database, publisher record or DOI registry.