AI note taking tools can organize lectures, textbooks, slides, and videos into clean, study-ready notes. This guide shows U.S. students and teachers exactly how to cite AI notes in APA 7th edition and MLA 9th edition, with copy-paste citation templates, real examples, and optional AI transparency statements.
| Situation | What you cite | Mention AI? |
|---|---|---|
| AI organized your own notes | Original source only | No |
| AI summarized assigned materials | Original source in APA/MLA | Optional (if required) |
| You use AI's exact phrasing | Original source + AI disclosure | Yes |
| You attended an unrecorded lecture | APA: personal communication (in-text only, no reference); MLA: Works Cited entry with room/building | Optional |
| AI helped organize group study notes | Cite sources everyone contributed | Yes (brief note) |
| AI combined multiple assigned sources | Cite each main source used | Yes |
(Use only if your teacher requires it.)
AI Disclosure: I used [Tool Name] to organize my lecture notes and create section summaries. All facts and citations come from the original sources listed in my References/Works Cited. I reviewed and revised all AI-assisted text.
If you want to organize your lecture notes automatically, try our Free AI Note Taker
Note: Personal communications are cited in-text only; no reference entry is created.
No reference entry. Use in-text personal communication only:
(J. R. Smith, personal communication, February 10, 2025)
I organized my lecture and reading notes with an AI note taking app to create headings and summaries; factual content and citations come from the sources above. (Link to reliable source)
Use author–page format:
InstructorLast, First. “Lecture Title.” Course Name, Day Month Year, LMS, URL.
Unrecorded in-class lecture (not online): add a Works Cited entry and cite the speaker in-text.
Works Cited:
InstructorLast, First. “Lecture Title.” Course Name, Day Month Year, Building/Room, University.
In-text: (InstructorLast)
Organized with an AI note-taking app; ideas and wording reflect the original materials cited above. (Link to reliable source)
Example: (MIT OpenCourseWare, 2024, 00:08:32)
Example: As shown at 8:32 in the lecture by MIT OpenCourseWare…
Include course name + platform; omit URL.
If you can’t find the book, article, or page the AI suggested, do not cite it. Track down a real source or remove the citation.
AI Disclosure: I used [Tool Name] to organize and format my notes. All analysis and interpretation are my own.
AI Disclosure: I used [Tool Name] to generate initial summaries and then verified all information against the original sources.
AI Disclosure: Sections containing AI-generated language are cited accordingly; all conclusions are my own.
Learn when AI note-taking is allowed, how to protect student data, and how to cite AI-generated notes in APA and MLA. A practical guide to AI privacy, academic integrity, and responsible use.
Download Cornell notes templates for lectures, readings, and videos. Download printable and digital formats (PDF, Google Docs, and more)
Browse ready-to-use AI prompts for note-taking, study guides, flashcards, and writing support. Designed for students and teachers using tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and NotebookLM in school.
No. If the AI tool only helped organize, format, or structure your own notes without generating content, you cite the original source material (lecture, textbook, video, etc.). The AI is just a formatting tool, like using Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
If you use AI-generated wording or summaries, you should: (1) cite the original source that the AI summarized, and (2) add an AI disclosure statement noting which sections contain AI-generated language. Always verify the AI’s summaries against the original source.
APA format: Use personal communication in-text only: (J. Smith, personal communication, April 12, 2025). Do not create a reference entry.
MLA format: Use in-text citation with lecture description: (Smith, Lecture, 12 Apr. 2025).
Yes! AI tools can generate plausible-looking but completely false citations. Always verify every citation detail (author name, title, publication date, page numbers, URLs) against the actual source material. Never trust AI-generated citations without verification.
A good AI transparency statement should briefly explain: (1) which AI tool you used, (2) what specific tasks it performed (organizing, summarizing, formatting), and (3) confirmation that you verified all content against original sources. Keep it simple and honest—one or two sentences is usually enough.
Usually, using AI just to organize or summarize your own class materials is treated as a study aid, not cheating – but every school is different. Always follow your syllabus and instructor’s AI policy. For a deeper overview of allowed use and privacy, see our AI Note-Taking Privacy & Allowed Use guide.
Cite each original source that group members contributed (textbooks, lecture slides, articles, etc.). If your instructor requires it, add a brief note that AI was used to organize collaborative notes. The AI tool itself is not cited—only the academic sources.
Yes! Include the timestamp in your in-text citation to direct readers to the specific moment you’re referencing.
APA example: (Khan Academy, 2024, 3:45)
MLA example: (Khan Academy 3:45)
