TL;DR:
- Learn how to make AI chatbots such as ChatGPT provide sources and citations for more accurate and dependable information.
- Understand link rot
- Learn how to check your AI-driven sourcing and citing.
Introduction: Sourcing and citing with ChatGPT
In this article, we’ll share tips on how to make AI chatbots like ChatGPT provide sources and citations for more reliable information.
How to Make ChatGPT Provide Sources and Citations
A significant concern regarding AI chatbots like ChatGPT is the accuracy of the information they provide. However, with an appropriate strategy, you can persuade ChatGPT to reveal its sources. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this:
1. Ask a question
Begin by posing a question to ChatGPT on a topic that requires sources or citations.
Example: “What are the key differences between machine learning and deep learning?”
2. Request sources
Ask ChatGPT to provide sources for the answer it gave.
“Please provide sources for your answer.”
3. Encourage higher-quality sources
To ensure ChatGPT offers more reliable and accurate sources, be specific in your request. Ask for reputable sources, scholarly articles, or authoritative websites.
Example: “Can you recommend peer-reviewed articles that discuss the differences between machine learning and deep learning?”
4. Verify and validate the provided sources
Once ChatGPT provides the sources, take the time to check their authenticity and accuracy.
Tips for Obtaining Better Sources from ChatGPT and Spot Hallucinations
To improve the quality of sources ChatGPT provides, consider the following approaches:
- Request recent sources: Ask for sources published within a specific timeframe, such as the last three years.
- Be specific: Clearly specify the topic and the type of sources you need, such as academic papers, news articles, or official reports.
- Ask for multiple sources: Request several sources to increase the likelihood of obtaining reliable information.
APA style is a widely used citation format, particularly in academic programs. APA stands for American Psychological Association. To learn the rules and guidelines for APA style, the Purdue OWL is an excellent starting point. It offers comprehensive resources on various aspects of APA formatting. Remember to be cautious when using online style formatters, as they might not be entirely accurate, and you could end up with incorrect citations.
How can I make ChatGPT provide more reliable sources for its responses?
To obtain more reliable sources from ChatGPT, try these strategies:
- Request additional sources: If the initial sources provided are not satisfactory, ask ChatGPT for more sources on the topic.
- Re-ask for sources: You can rephrase your request or indicate that the previous sources were incorrect, prompting ChatGPT to provide better options.
- Change the question’s focus: Reformulate your original question with a different angle and then ask for sources related to the new query.
Remember that ChatGPT should be used as a writing assistant rather than a tool that generates content for you. Utilise the sources and information provided by ChatGPT as a starting point for further research and writing.
Why are ChatGPT sources often incorrect?
There are several reasons why ChatGPT sources might be wrong:
- Link rot: Since ChatGPT’s sources are at least three years old, some links may have changed or become unavailable.
- Unverified sources: As ChatGPT was trained mostly without human supervision, many of its sources were not vetted and could be incorrect, fabricated, or nonexistent.
Always verify the sources provided by ChatGPT and exercise caution when using the information it provides.
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