Referencing GAITs
Generative AI Text (GAITs) guidance is now included in Charles Sturt’s APA Referencing Summary and the Academic Referencing Tool (ART). For help with referencing, contact the Academic Skills team via an appointment or post a question on the Study Success Forum.
Checking References Found by AI
AI-generated references can be unreliable or completely fake. Before using them, verify:
• Does the journal or book title exist in Primo or Trove?
• Do the volume, issue, and dates match?
• Do the page numbers and article/chapter title correspond?
If all match, the reference might be valid—but always read the source yourself and evaluate it using the CRAAP test before citing.
Why AI Creates Fake References
AI tools like ChatGPT are language models, not search engines. They predict words based on patterns, not by retrieving verified sources. This means they often generate plausible but non-existent citations. For more detail, see Matthew Hillier’s article:
Why does ChatGPT generate fake references?. [teche.mq.edu.au]
Here are some helpful resources to help prepare you for your assessments:
The Guide to writing in science at Charles Sturt - includes writing a lab report
CSU Academic writing, assignment and essay - guides
And, don't forget to read the Marking Criteria in your Subject Outline.
The library also has some resources to assist your writing skills:
The Referencing at Charles Sturt University webpage has lots of helpful information about referencing including links to the following resources:
The main referencing style at Charles Sturt University is APA 7th though this is not the only style used at the University and you should check with your lecturer if you are unsure.
These guides have some useful resources and information that will help you to use information ethically while you are studying with CSU.
CSU also has other services which can help you to get the best possible results for your work:
Turnitin Software - A Turnitin account allows you to check your own writing for inadvertent plagiarism or quotation errors. Detect and fix problems before submission. Some assessments will require you to submit your work to Turnitin before final submission!
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