Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy
The Journal of Engineering Research and Reviews (JERR) recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI), including generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), large language models (LLMs), chatbots, AI-assisted writing and editing tools, image-generation tools, coding assistants, and other AI technologies can provide useful assistance in research, manuscript preparation, analysis, and scholarly communication.
At the same time, the use of AI in scholarly publishing raises important concerns relating to accuracy, originality, plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, copyright, confidentiality, data protection, authorship, transparency, and accountability.
This policy establishes the principles governing the responsible and transparent use of AI in manuscripts submitted to and published by JERR. It applies to authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, and editorial staff.
1. General Principles
AI-assisted technologies may be used when their use is appropriate, responsible, transparent, and consistent with research integrity and publication ethics.
The following principles apply:
AI systems cannot be listed as authors or co-authors.
Human authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and ethical compliance of their work.
Authors must critically evaluate and verify AI-assisted content before submission.
AI must not be used to fabricate, falsify, manipulate, or misrepresent research.
AI-generated references, quotations, data, images, statistical results, or scientific claims must be independently verified.
Material use of AI must be disclosed in accordance with this policy.
The use of AI must not compromise the confidentiality of unpublished manuscripts, research data, personal information, or peer-review materials.
Use of AI must comply with applicable copyright, licensing, privacy, and intellectual-property requirements.
2. Acceptable Use of AI by Authors
Authors may use AI-assisted tools for appropriate purposes, including:
Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and language improvement;
Improving clarity, readability, and organization;
Translation and language assistance;
Generating suggestions for wording or manuscript structure;
Developing outlines or brainstorming ideas;
Assisting with coding or programming, provided that the code is independently reviewed and validated;
Assisting with data analysis or visualization, provided that the methods, outputs, and conclusions are independently verified;
Assisting with the preparation of figures or graphical abstracts where such use is scientifically and ethically appropriate.
The use of AI for these purposes does not transfer responsibility from the authors to the AI system.
3. Verification of AI-Assisted Content
AI systems can generate inaccurate, incomplete, biased, misleading, or entirely fabricated information. They may also generate references that do not exist or incorrectly attribute information to published sources.
Authors must therefore independently verify, where applicable:
Scientific facts and statements;
References and citations;
Numerical and statistical results;
Tables and figures;
Data interpretation;
Conclusions;
Quotations and attributions;
Methodological descriptions;
Information concerning research participants, animals, patients, or other research subjects.
Authors remain responsible for ensuring that the final manuscript accurately represents the underlying research.
4. AI and Authorship
AI systems, including ChatGPT and other generative AI applications, must not be listed as authors or co-authors.
Authorship requires responsibility and accountability for the published work. AI systems cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy, originality, integrity, ethical compliance, conflicts of interest, copyright, or other responsibilities associated with authorship.
All listed authors must meet the journal's authorship requirements and remain responsible for the entire manuscript, including material produced or modified with AI assistance.
5. Disclosure of Material AI Use
Authors must disclose material use of AI-assisted technologies when AI has substantially contributed to the generation, modification, analysis, interpretation, or presentation of the manuscript or its research content.
The disclosure should identify:
The AI tool or system used;
The purpose for which it was used; and
Where appropriate, the nature or extent of its contribution.
A suitable disclosure may be stated as follows:
Artificial Intelligence Disclosure: During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used [name of AI tool] for [describe purpose]. The authors reviewed and verified all AI-assisted content and take full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the submitted work.
When AI has been used for data analysis, statistical analysis, coding, image generation or modification, or another substantive scientific procedure, the authors should describe its use in the relevant section of the manuscript, such as the Materials and Methods or equivalent section.
Routine Language Assistance
Routine use of conventional spelling, grammar, punctuation, or language-editing tools that does not generate substantive scientific content generally does not require a separate AI disclosure.
Authors nevertheless remain fully responsible for the final manuscript.
6. AI-Generated or AI-Modified Scientific Content
Authors must exercise particular caution when AI is used to generate or substantially modify scientific content.
AI must not be used to fabricate or manipulate:
Research data;
Experimental results;
Clinical findings;
Statistical results;
References;
Research observations;
Scientific images;
Tables or figures;
Other evidence presented as having been generated through actual research.
AI-generated material must never be presented as genuine experimental or observational evidence when it does not represent research that was actually conducted.
7. AI-Generated Images and Figures
Any substantive use of generative AI to create, modify, enhance, or substantially alter images, figures, graphical abstracts, or other visual materials must be disclosed.
AI must not be used to create or manipulate scientific images in a way that misrepresents research findings.
In particular, authors must not use AI to:
Fabricate experimental images;
Add or remove experimental findings;
Alter microscopy, radiography, histology, electrophoresis, or similar scientific images in a misleading manner;
Create apparently authentic experimental results that did not occur;
Conceal, distort, or selectively alter research evidence.
Authors are responsible for ensuring that AI-generated or AI-modified visual material complies with copyright, licensing, ethical, and scientific requirements.
Editors may request information concerning the origin, creation, or modification of an image or figure.
8. AI in Data Analysis, Coding, and Research
AI may be used as a research or analytical tool when scientifically justified and appropriately validated.
Where AI makes a substantive contribution to data analysis, coding, statistical analysis, or another research procedure, authors should provide sufficient information to allow editors and readers to understand its role.
Where relevant, this may include:
The AI system or software used;
Model or version information;
The purpose of its use;
Relevant parameters, instructions, or prompts where scientifically necessary;
The type of data processed;
Validation and quality-control procedures;
How AI-generated outputs were independently verified.
AI-generated outputs must not be accepted as inherently accurate or authoritative.
9. Plagiarism, Copyright, and Intellectual Property
Authors remain responsible for ensuring that AI-assisted material does not infringe copyright or other intellectual-property rights.
AI-generated text, images, or other content may reproduce or closely resemble existing material. Authors must therefore:
Verify the originality of submitted content;
Provide appropriate citations and attribution;
Obtain permission where required;
Respect applicable licenses;
Verify the authenticity and accuracy of AI-generated references;
Avoid using AI as a substitute for citing the original scientific literature.
The use of AI does not remove the author's obligation to acknowledge and cite the original source of an idea, statement, image, dataset, or other intellectual contribution.
10. Confidentiality and Sensitive Information
Authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial staff must protect confidential information when using AI tools.
Unpublished manuscripts, confidential peer-review reports, proprietary information, personal information, patient information, research-participant information, unpublished research data, and other confidential material must not be entered into public or third-party AI systems unless adequate confidentiality and data-protection safeguards are in place and such use is authorized.
In particular, reviewers must not upload submitted manuscripts or confidential peer-review material into AI systems that could expose such information to unauthorized parties or use it for purposes outside the confidential review process.
The confidentiality of JERR's double-blind peer-review process must be maintained at all times.
11. AI Use by Peer Reviewers
Reviewers remain responsible for providing an independent and confidential assessment of manuscripts.
Reviewers must not:
Upload confidential manuscripts or peer-review materials to an AI system where confidentiality cannot be assured;
Ask an AI system to make the final scientific judgment on a manuscript;
Delegate responsibility for the peer-review report to an AI system;
Use unpublished information obtained through peer review for personal or professional purposes.
AI-assisted tools may be used for limited purposes only when their use does not compromise manuscript confidentiality, reviewer independence, or the integrity of the peer-review process.
Reviewers remain responsible for the accuracy, fairness, and originality of their review reports.
12. AI Use by Editors and Editorial Staff
Editors and editorial staff may use appropriate AI-assisted tools for limited administrative or editorial purposes when such use does not compromise confidentiality, editorial independence, research integrity, or the rights of authors.
AI may assist with tasks such as:
Administrative processing;
Language or formatting checks;
Identification of potential editorial issues;
Metadata or workflow assistance;
Other routine editorial tasks.
However, substantive editorial decisions must remain under human responsibility.
AI tools must not independently determine whether a manuscript is accepted, rejected, retracted, or subjected to another substantive editorial action.
13. AI Detection and Editorial Screening
JERR may use appropriate software and AI-assisted technologies as part of manuscript screening, quality control, plagiarism assessment, image screening, and research-integrity assessment.
JERR uses the AI Content Detector powered by Winston as one of its tools for identifying manuscripts that may contain substantial AI-generated or AI-assisted content.
AI-detection results are considered screening indicators only and will not, by themselves, be treated as conclusive evidence of inappropriate AI use, plagiarism, academic misconduct, or research misconduct.
AI-detection technologies may produce both false-positive and false-negative results. Therefore:
A high AI-detection score does not by itself establish inappropriate AI use;
A low AI-detection score does not establish that AI has not been used;
Editorial judgment and examination of the underlying manuscript remain essential.
Where an AI-detection result raises a reasonable concern, the editorial team may:
Examine the manuscript and relevant supporting material;
Request clarification from the authors;
Request disclosure of AI use;
Request information about the AI tools used and their contribution;
Conduct additional editorial or ethical assessment;
Take other appropriate action in accordance with the journal's policies.
The final editorial decision remains the responsibility of the journal's editors and will not be based solely on an automated AI-detection score.
14. Failure to Disclose Material AI Use
Failure to disclose material AI use when disclosure is required may constitute a breach of the journal's publication policies.
Where appropriate, the editorial team may request an explanation or additional disclosure from the authors.
Depending on the circumstances and seriousness of the concern, possible actions may include:
Requesting clarification;
Requiring additional disclosure;
Requesting manuscript revision;
Rejecting a manuscript;
Publishing a correction or clarification;
Publishing an Expression of Concern;
Retracting a published article in serious cases;
Taking other appropriate editorial or ethical action.
The response will be proportionate to the nature and seriousness of the issue.
15. AI and Research Misconduct
The use of AI does not alter the journal's standards concerning research and publication misconduct.
Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, manipulation of research images or data, fraudulent authorship, citation manipulation, peer-review manipulation, or other forms of research misconduct remain subject to the journal's Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Policy.
Where AI has been used as a means to commit or conceal misconduct, the journal may take appropriate action under its publication-ethics procedures.
16. Responsibility of Authors
By submitting a manuscript to JERR, authors confirm that:
They have reviewed the entire manuscript;
All listed authors accept responsibility for the submitted work;
Material AI use has been appropriately disclosed;
AI-assisted content has been critically reviewed and verified;
References and citations have been checked for accuracy;
The manuscript does not contain fabricated or falsified information;
The manuscript does not knowingly infringe copyright or other intellectual-property rights;
Confidential information has not been improperly disclosed to AI systems;
The final manuscript represents the authors' scientific work, analysis, and judgment.
17. Editorial Discretion
JERR reserves the right to request additional information about AI use during manuscript submission, peer review, production, or after publication.
Where necessary to assess research integrity, transparency, or compliance with this policy, authors may be asked to provide information about:
The AI tool or system used;
The purpose of its use;
The sections or materials affected;
The nature of the AI contribution;
Verification procedures undertaken by the authors.
18. Post-Publication AI Concerns
If significant undisclosed or inappropriate AI use is identified after publication, JERR will assess the matter in accordance with its publication-ethics and correction/retraction procedures.
Depending on the circumstances, the journal may publish a correction, clarification, Expression of Concern, or retraction, or take another appropriate action to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.
19. Policy Updates
AI technologies and standards for their responsible use continue to evolve. JERR may periodically review and update this policy to reflect developments in research integrity, publication ethics, copyright, privacy, data protection, and scholarly publishing practices.
Authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial board members are expected to comply with the version of the policy applicable to their involvement in the publication process.
20. Commitment to Responsible AI Use
JERR supports the responsible use of AI as a tool that can assist scholarly communication while maintaining the principle that human authors, reviewers, and editors retain responsibility for scientific judgment, accuracy, integrity, confidentiality, and accountability.
AI may assist the scholarly process, but it does not replace human responsibility or independent scientific judgment.
