Policy on the Use of AI-Assisted Tools

The Journal of Theoretical Educational Science (JTES) acknowledges that AI-assisted tools may be used in scholarly research and academic writing processes when they are used responsibly, transparently, and in accordance with ethical principles. However, such tools must never replace the author’s scholarly responsibility, original intellectual contribution, critical judgement, or ethical obligations.

AI-assisted tools may be used for limited and supportive purposes such as developing research ideas, supporting literature searches, classifying literature, improving language, style, clarity, flow, and readability, obtaining suggestions for summarising or organising text, checking the formal accuracy of references, and supporting technical aspects of the research process. In all such cases, the author(s) must carefully review, verify, revise, and take full responsibility for all content generated or suggested by AI-assisted tools.

The use of AI-assisted tools to generate an entire manuscript or substantial parts of a manuscript in a way that replaces the author’s original contribution; the direct inclusion of AI-generated text without critical review; the fabrication of data, findings, analysis results, tables, figures, images, quotations, citations, sources, or references; the use of non-existent or “hallucinated” references; inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading citation practices; or the presentation of AI-generated output as the author’s own scholarly judgement is not acceptable. Such practices will be considered within the scope of publication ethics violations.

AI-assisted tools cannot be listed as an author, co-author, or contributor. Authorship involves ethical and legal responsibilities that can only be undertaken by human individuals, including the design, conduct, interpretation, final approval, and accountability for the integrity of the work. Therefore, all named authors are jointly responsible for the content of the manuscript, the data, analyses, references, and conclusions.

If the author(s) use AI-assisted tools during manuscript preparation for language editing, text improvement, literature search support, reference checking, coding, data analysis, or any other purpose, this use must be clearly disclosed during submission and, where appropriate, in the manuscript. The disclosure should include the name of the tool, version where possible, the purpose of use, and the extent of human oversight. Basic spelling, grammar, punctuation checks, or standard non-generative functions of conventional reference management software do not require a separate disclosure.

Suggested disclosure statement:

“During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used [name of tool/service] for [purpose of use]. The author(s) reviewed and revised the outputs generated by this tool and take full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, validity of references, and ethical integrity of the entire manuscript.”

If AI-assisted tools are used as part of the research methodology, this use must be described in the Methods section in sufficient detail to ensure transparency and reproducibility. This should include the name and version of the tool/model, the purpose of use, the stage at which it was used, its role in data processing or analysis, and, where necessary, relevant information about prompts or workflow.

Author(s) must not upload confidential or sensitive content to AI systems that do not provide sufficiently clear privacy and data security safeguards. Such content includes personal data, participant information, unpublished raw data, confidential institutional information, copyrighted materials, and unpublished manuscript files. When AI-assisted tools are used to process such materials, author(s) must comply with relevant ethics committee approvals, personal data protection regulations, copyright requirements, and confidentiality obligations.

Reviewers and editors are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the peer review process. Reviewers and editors must not upload unpublished manuscripts, supplementary files, author information, reviewer reports, or editorial correspondence to AI systems that may create confidentiality risks. AI-assisted tools must not be used as a substitute for peer review reports or editorial decisions. Reviewer reports and editorial decisions must be based on the academic expertise, critical judgement, and ethical responsibility of the relevant reviewers and editors.

JTES does not consider a separate wet-signed declaration form to be a general requirement for AI use. Instead, the journal relies on clear and accurate author disclosure during the submission process. However, when necessary, the editors may request additional explanation, revision, source verification, data or analysis outputs, detailed information on the AI-assisted tool used, or documents supporting ethical compliance.

If AI use is not disclosed, if a false or misleading disclosure is made, or if AI-assisted tools are used to produce fabricated references, false data, misleading analyses, unethical images, or non-original text, JTES reserves the right to initiate the necessary publication ethics procedures. Depending on the stage and severity of the case, the manuscript may be rejected, revisions may be requested, or, for published articles, correction, expression of concern, or retraction procedures may be initiated. Where necessary, relevant institutions may also be notified.

Regardless of whether AI-assisted tools have been used, authors remain fully responsible for the scholarly content, ethical compliance, validity of references, accuracy of data, validity of analyses, and originality of the final manuscript.

References and Further Reading

This policy has been prepared with reference to international publication ethics principles and the current policies and guidelines of leading academic publishers on the use of AI-assisted tools. Authors who wish to obtain further information on the ethical use of AI-assisted tools in scholarly research, writing, peer review, and publishing processes may consult the following resources:

• Committee on Publication Ethics. (COPE). Authorship and AI tools.
• Elsevier. Generative AI policies for journals.
• Taylor & Francis. AI policy.
• Taylor & Francis Author Services. Using artificial intelligence (AI) in your research and manuscript preparation.
• Wiley. AI guidelines for researchers.
• International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. (ICMJE). Use of artificial intelligence in publishing.
• International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers. (STM). Generative AI in scholarly communications: Ethical and practical guidelines for the use of generative AI in the publication process.
• World Association of Medical Editors. (WAME). Chatbots, generative AI, and scholarly manuscripts: WAME recommendations on chatbots and generative artificial intelligence in relation to scholarly publications.