Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

Emerging Trends in Education recognizes the growing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in research and scholarly writing. To promote transparency, academic integrity, and ethical publishing practices, the journal establishes the following guidelines for authors, reviewers, and editors.

 

Use of AI by Authors

Authors may use artificial intelligence tools to support activities such as: 

·         Grammar, spelling, and style correction.

·         Language translation.

·         Organization and preliminary synthesis of information.

·         Assistance in developing search strategies for systematic literature reviews.

·         Data processing and visualization, provided that the procedures employed are adequately described.

However, authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, originality, and scientific validity of all content presented in the manuscript.

 

Mandatory Disclosure of AI Use

 When artificial intelligence tools are used at any stage of the research process or manuscript preparation, authors must explicitly disclose such use in a section entitled “Declaration of Artificial Intelligence Use.” This statement should include:

·         The name of the AI tool used

·         The version or model employed, when identifiable.

·         The date(s) of use.

·         The specific purpose for which the tool was used.

·         The extent of the tool’s contribution to the research or writing process.

 Failure to provide this disclosure, when applicable, may be considered a breach of the journal’s transparency policies.

 

Restrictions on the Use of AI

 The use of artificial intelligence tools is not permitted for:

·         Generating non-existent research findings.

·         Fabricating, altering, or manipulating empirical data.

·         Creating fictitious citations, references, or sources.

·         Replacing the authors’ critical analysis, scientific interpretation, or conclusions.

·         Generating images, tables, or figures representing real data without clearly identifying their origin and method of generation.

Any misuse of artificial intelligence that compromises the scientific integrity of a manuscript may result in immediate rejection or, if discovered after publication, in the issuance of corrections, expressions of concern, or article retractions.

 

Authorship and Responsibility

Artificial intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of a manuscript, as they do not meet internationally recognized authorship criteria and cannot assume responsibility for published content.

Authorship must be limited exclusively to individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to the work and who can take responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of its contents.

 

Use of AI in Systematic Literature Reviews

In systematic literature reviews, authors may use artificial intelligence tools to support literature searching, screening, classification, data management, or preliminary document analysis. However, authors must provide a detailed description of the procedures followed, the tools employed, and the mechanisms used to verify the reliability, validity, and quality of the results obtained.

 

Use of AI by Reviewers and Editors

Manuscripts submitted for evaluation constitute confidential documents. Therefore, reviewers and Editorial Board members must not upload complete manuscripts or substantial portions thereof to publicly accessible artificial intelligence platforms that may store, reuse, or use such content for model training purposes.

Any use of AI tools during the editorial process must comply with the principles of confidentiality, data protection, and publication ethics.

 

Compliance with International Standards

This policy is based on the recommendations and best practices promoted by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and other international organizations dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of scholarly communication. The journal reserves the right to revise and update this policy as standards, regulations, and best practices regarding the use of artificial intelligence in academic research continue to evolve.