Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Use Policy
BARTIN UNIVERSITY
Scientific Publications Coordinatorship
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Use Policy for Scholarly Journals
1. Purpose and Scope
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies are used ethically, transparently, responsibly, and in an auditable manner throughout scholarly publishing processes, while safeguarding research integrity, scientific reliability, and academic honesty.
This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to the journal and to all authors, editors, and reviewers involved in the preparation, evaluation, peer-review, and publication of these manuscripts.
The policy has been developed in accordance with the principles of DergiPark, the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and relevant national and international ethical standards and regulations.
2. Core Principles
The following principles shall govern the use of generative artificial intelligence:
Human responsibility and accountability: GenAI is a tool; ethical and scientific responsibility for all generated or AI-assisted content rests entirely with the individuals using it.
Transparency: The use of GenAI must be clearly disclosed.
Accuracy and verifiability: All information, data, and references generated or supported by GenAI must be verified.
Research integrity: GenAI must not be used in any manner that may result in ethical violations, including fabrication, falsification, distortion, or plagiarism.
Human oversight: Scientific decisions, evaluations, interpretations, and conclusions must be based on human judgement and expertise.
3. Rules for Authors
Generative artificial intelligence tools, including large language models, chatbots, and visual or graphical content-generation tools, cannot be recognised as authors and must not be included in the list of authors.
Authorship is limited to human contributors who can assume academic responsibility and accountability for the work.
3.1. Permitted Uses
Authors may use generative artificial intelligence tools for the following supportive purposes:
Grammar, spelling, and language checking;
Text simplification and stylistic improvement;
Summarisation and translation;
Brainstorming and idea development, provided that the authors remain responsible for the final text;
Suggestions for preliminary figures, graphics, or visual designs, provided that such use is disclosed in the Methods section.
3.2. Disclosure Requirement
Where generative artificial intelligence has been used during the preparation of a manuscript, such use must be clearly disclosed within the manuscript or in a specific disclosure section designated by the journal.
The disclosure must specify:
The name of the artificial intelligence tool used, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Midjourney, or DeepSeek;
The purpose for which the tool was used, such as text generation, literature searching, data analysis, or image generation;
The scope and nature of its use.
3.3. Authors’ Responsibilities
Authors are fully responsible for the scientific accuracy, originality, ethical appropriateness, and integrity of all content generated or supported by generative artificial intelligence, including text, data, code, images, and other materials.
Authors are responsible for verifying information generated by GenAI tools and for providing appropriate citations where required.
Any potential errors, omissions, biases, inaccuracies, or fabricated information produced by artificial intelligence tools must be carefully identified and corrected by the authors.
The use of GenAI does not reduce, transfer, or remove the authors’ responsibility for the content of the manuscript.
4. Principles for Editors
Editors shall verify the presence and adequacy of disclosures concerning the use of generative artificial intelligence.
During the editorial evaluation process, editors shall consider bibliographic consistency, the authenticity and accuracy of cited sources, and compliance with the principle of transparency.
Editors may request additional explanations, information, or supporting documentation from authors where necessary.
Where ethical risks or potential violations associated with the use of GenAI are identified, the matter shall be handled in accordance with COPE principles and guidelines.
5. Rules for Reviewers
The peer-review process must be based on scientific evaluation conducted through human expertise and professional judgement.
Reviewers are advised not to use generative artificial intelligence tools to write peer-review reports or to analyse the content of manuscripts.
Reviewers may inform the editors of any concerns regarding the transparency, consistency, or appropriateness of the use of generative artificial intelligence in a submitted manuscript.
6. Prohibited Uses
The following uses of generative artificial intelligence are strictly prohibited:
Generating fabricated data, information, findings, or references through GenAI;
Citing publications or sources that do not exist;
Transforming the work of others through GenAI and using it without appropriate attribution;
Presenting GenAI-generated output as the author’s original scholarly contribution;
Using GenAI to conceal plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or any other ethical violation.
Such practices shall be regarded as violations of scholarly publishing ethics.
7. Detection, Investigation, and Sanctions
Where deemed necessary, the journal may examine submitted manuscripts using:
Plagiarism-detection tools;
Generative artificial intelligence detection tools.
Where there is a suspicion of an ethical violation involving GenAI:
The author shall be requested to provide an explanation or formal response;
An editorial investigation shall be initiated;
A decision shall be made in accordance with COPE guidelines.
Depending on the nature and severity of the violation, the following measures may be taken:
Rejection of the manuscript;
Retraction of a published article;
Notification of the authors’ affiliated institutions or other relevant authorities.