ChatGPT gave me some citations, but I can’t find them, what now?
Answer
ChatGPT may sometimes generate citations that look real but are actually fictional or inaccurate, which is called “AI hallucination".
If you cannot find a source ChatGPT cited, try the following:
- Double-check spelling and formatting of the citation.
- Search in trusted databases (e.g., Scopus, IEEE Xplore, Google Scholar, Web of Science) using the title, author, or keywords.
- Use the DOI (if given) to verify the source directly.
- If you still can't find it, assume it may not exist and don’t use it in your work.
Instead of asking ChatGPT to provide citations, ask it to suggest keywords or summarize topics, and then search for reliable sources through the library's databases or search tools.
If you need help verifying citations, the library team is here to support you!