Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Publishing Policy

International Journal of Engineering Research and Science (IJOER)

ISSN: 2395-6992 | COPE Member | ICMJE Aligned | WAME Guidelines

IJOER Position on Artificial Intelligence

IJOER recognizes the rapidly expanding role of artificial intelligence (AI) tools—such as large language models (LLMs), chatbots, and image generators—in scholarly research and publishing. This policy is aligned with the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) to ensure transparency, accountability, and integrity in all published work.

Last Updated: 15 February 2025 | Effective Date: 1 March 2025

COPE Focus on Artificial Intelligence (2025)

IJOER actively participates in the COPE discussion on "Emerging AI dilemmas in scholarly publishing", addressing key accountability measures, emerging tools, and guidance to ensure ethical standards in an environment increasingly shaped by AI in 2025.

AI Policy Navigation

1. Scope & Application
2. AI Authorship Prohibition
3. Disclosure Requirements
4. Author Responsibility & Accountability
5. Permitted vs. Prohibited Uses
6. AI-Generated Images & Media

7. AI Use by Reviewers
8. AI Use by Editors
9. AI Detection & Verification
10. Non-Disclosure & Misconduct
11. Policy Development & Updates
12. Contact & Reporting

1 Scope & Application

What This Policy Covers

This policy applies to all uses of artificial intelligence (AI) tools—including but not limited to large language models (LLMs), chatbots (e.g., ChatGPT, Google Bard, Claude), AI-assisted writing tools, AI image generators (e.g., DALL-E, Midjourney), and AI data analysis tools—in the preparation, submission, peer review, and publication of manuscripts submitted to IJOER.

Applicable To

Authors: All manuscript submissions (all article types)
Reviewers: Peer review activities and reports
Editors: Editorial decision-making and manuscript handling
Editorial Board: Policy development and oversight
Staff: Production and copyediting processes

Out of Scope

Basic spelling/grammar checkers: Standard word processor tools (e.g., MS Word spellcheck, Grammarly basic)
Reference managers: EndNote, Zotero, Mendeley (standard functionality)
Statistical software: Standard statistical packages (SPSS, R, SAS, MATLAB)

These tools do not require disclosure.

2 AI Authorship Prohibition

COPE, ICMJE, and WAME Position

AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of a manuscript. This is a non-negotiable, universal standard across all scholarly publishing.

Why AI Tools Cannot Be Authors

Cannot take responsibility for the work

Authorship requires the ability to take public responsibility for the content, accuracy, and integrity of the manuscript. AI tools are non-legal entities incapable of assuming this responsibility.

Cannot assert conflicts of interest

AI tools cannot disclose or manage conflicts of interest, a fundamental requirement for authorship.

Cannot manage copyright and license agreements

Authors must execute copyright transfer or licensing agreements, which AI tools cannot legally perform.

Cannot approve the final version

ICMJE criteria require that all authors approve the final version to be published. AI tools cannot provide such approval.

IJOER Policy Statement

"Artificial intelligence tools, large language models, chatbots, and image generators cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of any manuscript submitted to IJOER. Any submission listing an AI tool as an author will be rejected without review and returned to authors for correction."

🚫 STRICTLY PROHIBITED

This policy aligns with ICMJE (2024), COPE (2024), and WAME guidelines.

3 Disclosure Requirements

ICMJE Requirement: Disclosure at Submission

Authors are required to disclose at submission whether they used AI-assisted technologies in the production of the submitted work.

Required Disclosure Elements

For each AI tool used, authors must disclose:

Tool name: Full name of AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT-4, Claude 3.5 Sonnet)
Version number: Specific version used
Manufacturer: Company/organization (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic)
Date accessed: When the tool was used
Purpose: How the tool was used (e.g., language editing, data analysis, reference compilation)
Extent: Which sections of the manuscript involved AI assistance

Where to Disclose

1. Cover Letter

Brief statement that AI tools were used, with summary of purpose.

2. Methods Section

Detailed description of AI tool use, including all required elements. For original research articles, this is the primary disclosure location.

3. Acknowledgments

Alternative location for non-research articles (reviews, editorials, commentaries).

4. AI Disclosure Form

IJOER requires completion of the official AI Disclosure Form at submission.

IJOER AI Disclosure Statement Template

"During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [TOOL NAME, VERSION, MANUFACTURER] for [PURPOSE, e.g., language editing, reference formatting]. The author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published article."

Disclosure is Not Punitive:

Disclosure of AI-assisted language editing, stylistic editing, or structural reorganization does not constitute grounds for rejection and should not be treated as evidence of academic misconduct. The ethical issue is misrepresentation, not use.

4 Author Responsibility & Accountability

Humans Are Fully Responsible

Authors are fully responsible for the content of their manuscript, including any parts produced by AI tools. This responsibility cannot be delegated or shared with AI systems.

Author Responsibilities When Using AI

Verify accuracy: Carefully review and edit all AI-generated content. AI outputs can be incorrect, incomplete, or biased.
Ensure originality: Assert that there is no plagiarism in the manuscript, including text and images produced by AI.
Provide attribution: Ensure appropriate attribution of all quoted material, including full citations. Referencing AI-generated material as the primary source is not acceptable.
Protect intellectual property: AI-generated content should not contain infringing or unlicensed material.
Maintain integrity: AI use must not breach publication ethics or misrepresent authorship or intellectual contribution.

Prohibited Practices

Delegating intellectual responsibility: Using AI to generate foundational or predominant portions of written content is prohibited.
Undisclosed AI use: Failure to disclose AI use as required by this policy.
Plagiarism via AI: Using AI to paraphrase copyrighted material without attribution.
Data fabrication: Using AI to generate fake data or results.
Citation of AI as primary source: Referencing AI-generated content as an authoritative source.

AI-Generated Nonsense and Fake Papers:

IJOER has protocols to detect and reject AI-generated "nonsensical garbage articles" as well as high-quality fake data articles. Such submissions constitute a denial-of-service attack on the peer review system and will result in immediate rejection and potential author sanctions.

5 Permitted vs. Prohibited Uses

Application	Permitted	Restrictions
Language polishing & grammar checking	✓ Permitted	Disclosure required; basic spellcheck exempt
Reference compilation & formatting	✓ Permitted	Disclosure required; verify accuracy
Data analysis & statistical assistance	✓ Permitted	Disclosure required; methods section documentation
Literature search assistance	✓ Permitted	Disclosure recommended; verify sources
Generating foundational written content	✗ Prohibited	Predominant portion of original research
Generating opinion/commentary content	✗ Prohibited	Opinion pieces must reflect human perspective
Data fabrication or falsification	✗ Prohibited	Zero tolerance; research misconduct
Plagiarism/copyright infringement	✗ Prohibited	Authors must ensure no plagiarism
AI as author	✗ Prohibited	Universal prohibition

📋 Special Restriction for Opinion and Perspective Pieces:

AI tools should not be used in the preparation of any portion (aside from assistance with grammar, spelling, and reference formatting) of opinion pieces, commentaries, editorials, and correspondence. The point of these manuscripts is to further communication of ideas among people; they should only reflect a thoughtful human perspective.

6 AI-Generated Images & Media

AI Image Generators

IJOER follows stringent policies on AI-generated images, figures, and graphical elements.

Policy on AI-Generated Visual Content

Permitted with Disclosure

AI-generated images, figures, and illustrations may be permitted if:

Full disclosure of tool, version, prompts is provided
Images do not plagiarize or infringe copyright
Content is scientifically accurate and not misleading
Authors verify and take responsibility for content

Prohibited Uses

AI-generated images that falsify or manipulate scientific data are strictly prohibited. Image manipulation that misrepresents original research findings constitutes research misconduct.

Copyright & Attribution

Authors must ensure that AI-generated images do not violate copyright or intellectual property rights. Key considerations:

AI training data may include copyrighted material
Output may inadvertently reproduce protected content
Authors are liable for any copyright infringement
Public domain or properly licensed content only

7 AI Use by Reviewers

Reviewers May NOT Use AI to Generate Reviews

Human expertise and judgment are required to provide the necessary context and analysis for peer review. AI-generated reviews are strictly prohibited.

Prohibited Reviewer Uses

AI-generated review reports: Submitting reviews created by AI tools
Inputting manuscript content: Uploading confidential manuscripts to public AI tools
AI-based assessment: Delegating evaluative judgment to AI systems

⚠️ Confidentiality Warning:

Manuscripts are confidential while under review. Use of online content checkers or AI tools that require input of the article into external systems is prohibited.

Permitted Reviewer Uses

Literature searches: Using AI to help find relevant background information
Reference verification: Checking citations for accuracy
Grammar/spelling assistance: Standard writing tools (not generative AI for content)

⚠️ Reporting Concerns:

Reviewers with concerns about possible AI use or plagiarism in a manuscript should bring these concerns to the Editorial Office, not use detection tools that require manuscript upload.

Reviewer Suspects AI Use by Author:

If a reviewer suspects that an author has used AI without disclosure, they should confidentially report this concern to the Editorial Office. Do not confront authors directly. IJOER follows COPE flowcharts for investigating suspected AI misuse.

8 AI Use by Editors

Permitted Editorial Uses

AI may enhance the editorial process through:

Journal selection: Data-driven solutions for matching manuscripts to appropriate sections
Statistical screening: Identifying potential methodological issues
Plagiarism detection: Using authorized, secure detection software
Administrative efficiency: Routine correspondence and workflow management

Ethical concerns demand transparency and bias mitigation.

Ethical Requirements

Transparency: Editorial use of AI must be disclosed in journal policies
Bias mitigation: AI tools must be evaluated for potential bias
Human oversight: Final decisions remain with human editors
Confidentiality: Manuscript data cannot be input into public AI tools

9 AI Detection & Verification

COPE Position on AI Detection

No technology exists to consistently and precisely identify the use of generative AI in articles. IJOER therefore relies primarily on author disclosure and editorial assessment, not automated detection.

IJOER Detection Approach

Author disclosure: Primary mechanism; required at submission
Editorial assessment: Trained editors review for suspicious patterns
Peer review: Reviewers may flag concerns (without using detection tools)
Post-publication: Reader reports and post-publication peer review

Limitations of AI Detection

Detection software is not sufficiently reliable to distinguish between AI-assisted editing and original scholarly writing.
False positives may unfairly penalize non-native English speakers.
IJOER does not rely on AI-detection software as decisive evidence in editorial or peer-review decision-making.

📋 Confidentiality Restriction:

Use of online content checkers (which require input of the article into external systems) to determine whether generative AI was used during writing is prohibited. Editors and reviewers with concerns should bring them to the Editorial Office instead.

10 Non-Disclosure & Misconduct

ICMJE Position on Non-Disclosure

Non-disclosure of AI use may require corrective action and may be construed as misconduct in some circumstances.

Consequences of Non-Disclosure

Rejection: Manuscript may be rejected without further review
Correction: If published, a corrigendum may be issued
Retraction: In cases of significant undisclosed AI use that affects interpretation
Submission ban: Temporary or permanent prohibition from submitting to IJOER
Institutional notification: For severe or repeated violations

COPE Guidance on AI Misconduct

COPE provides case-based guidance on handling:

AI-generated articles: Defense against denial-of-service attacks
Articles produced by AI: Commissioned reviews found to be AI-generated
Reviewer suspicion: First reports of suspected AI use by authors

IJOER follows COPE flowcharts for all AI-related misconduct investigations.

11 Policy Development & Updates

Rapidly Changing Landscape

Due to the rapidly changing nature of AI tools and uses, this policy is subject to change without notice. Authors are advised to check for updates before submission.

Policy Review Schedule

Quarterly review: AI Policy Working Group assesses emerging developments
Annual update: Formal policy revision each January
Emergency updates: As needed based on critical developments
COPE alignment: Immediate incorporation of new COPE guidance

Current Version:

v2.1

Effective: 1 March 2025

12 Contact & Reporting

AI Policy Team

📧 Primary Email:

info@ijoer.com

📧 Secondary Email:

info.ijoer@gmail.com

📞 Phone:

+91-7665235235

📋 Subject Line Protocol:

AI Disclosure Questions: "AI POLICY: [Manuscript ID]"

Report Suspected AI Misuse: "AI CONCERN: [Manuscript ID]"

Policy Feedback: "AI FEEDBACK: [Topic]"

AI Policy Resources

COPE Focus on Artificial Intelligence:

publicationethics.org/cope-focus-ai

Response Commitment:

All AI policy inquiries and concerns are acknowledged within 48 hours. Suspected AI misconduct reports are escalated immediately to the Ethics Committee.

Comparative AI Policy Summary (Major Organizations)

Organization	AI Authorship	Disclosure Required?	IJOER Alignment
ICMJE	No	Yes	✓
COPE	No	Yes	✓
WAME	No	Yes	✓
Nature	No	Yes	✓
Science	No	Yes*	✓
Elsevier	No	Yes	✓
IEEE	No	Yes	✓

Source: Adapted from comparative analysis of generative AI policies in major journals and editorial organizations, 2025. *Science requires full prompt disclosure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Basic spelling, grammar, and punctuation checking tools (e.g., standard word processor spellcheck, basic Grammarly) do not require disclosure. However, advanced AI writing assistants that generate or rewrite substantial portions of text require full disclosure.

Yes, with disclosure. AI tools may be used to assist in data analysis. You must disclose the tool name, version, manufacturer, and how it was used in the Methods section. You remain fully responsible for the accuracy and validity of all analyses.

Non-disclosure of AI use may require corrective action and may be construed as misconduct in some circumstances. If you discover an omission before publication, contact the Editorial Office immediately to amend your submission. If discovered after publication, a corrigendum may be issued.

Yes. AI tools may be used to assist with reference compilation and formatting. Disclosure is recommended. However, you must verify all references for accuracy and completeness. AI-generated references are frequently incorrect or fabricated.

No. AI tools should not be used in the preparation of any portion of opinion and perspective pieces, such as commentaries, editorials, and correspondence. The point of these manuscripts is to further communication of ideas among people; they should only reflect a thoughtful human perspective.

IJOER relies primarily on author disclosure and editorial assessment. No technology exists to consistently and precisely identify the use of generative AI in articles. Detection software is not sufficiently reliable to distinguish between AI-assisted editing and original scholarly writing, and we do not use such tools as decisive evidence.

Author Acknowledgment

By submitting a manuscript to IJOER, authors acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agree to comply with this AI in Publishing Policy. Authors confirm that:

✓ No AI tool is listed as an author or co-author
✓ All use of AI tools has been fully disclosed
✓ All AI-generated content has been reviewed and verified

✓ Authors take full responsibility for all content
✓ No plagiarism or copyright infringement exists
✓ AI was not used for prohibited purposes