Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automated Tools Policy

The International Journal of Mathematics and Sciences Education (IJMSEd) recognizes the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI), generative artificial intelligence, large language models (LLMs), and other automated tools in scholarly research and publishing.

IJMSEd supports the responsible use of such technologies while maintaining the principles of transparency, accountability, confidentiality, research integrity, and human responsibility.

This policy applies to authors, reviewers, editors, and the journal's editorial processes.

1. General Principle

Artificial intelligence and automated tools may assist scholarly work, but they cannot replace human responsibility, scholarly judgment, or accountability.

Authors, reviewers, and editors remain fully responsible for their respective contributions to the research and publication process.

2. AI Cannot Be an Author

AI tools, generative AI systems, chatbots, large language models, and other automated technologies cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of manuscripts submitted to IJMSEd.

Authorship requires responsibilities that AI systems cannot fulfill, including accountability for the accuracy and integrity of the work, approval of the final manuscript, management of conflicts of interest, and responsibility for ethical compliance.

3. Permitted Use by Authors

Authors may use AI-assisted technologies responsibly to support limited aspects of manuscript preparation.

Routine uses such as:

  • spelling correction;
  • grammar correction;
  • language polishing;
  • readability improvement;
  • formatting assistance; and
  • other straightforward editorial assistance

are permitted, provided that such use does not replace the authors' intellectual contribution or scholarly judgment.

Routine language correction, editing, and formatting do not normally require an AI Use Declaration.

4. Use Requiring Disclosure

Authors must transparently disclose the use of generative AI or other automated tools when their use goes beyond straightforward language correction, editing, or formatting.

Examples may include AI-assisted:

  • generation or substantial rewriting of text;
  • summarization or synthesis of scholarly material;
  • generation or modification of images or figures;
  • development or modification of computer code;
  • assistance with data analysis;
  • generation of research materials;
  • substantive restructuring of scholarly arguments; or
  • other uses that materially contribute to the preparation or content of the manuscript.

Disclosure should identify the tool used and explain its purpose.

5. AI Use Declaration

Where disclosure is required, authors should include an AI Use Declaration in the manuscript.

A declaration may follow this format:

AI Use Declaration:
During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used [name of AI tool and provider] for [specific purpose]. All AI-assisted content was reviewed and verified by the author(s). The authors take full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and final content of the manuscript.

Authors should modify the declaration to accurately reflect their actual use of AI.

6. Author Responsibility

Authors remain fully responsible for all content submitted to IJMSEd, regardless of whether AI-assisted technologies were used.

Authors must verify:

  • factual accuracy;
  • calculations;
  • statistical information;
  • interpretations;
  • quotations;
  • citations;
  • references;
  • data;
  • methodological descriptions; and
  • other AI-assisted content.

The use of AI does not reduce or transfer the authors' responsibility for the manuscript.

7. AI-Generated References and Citations

Authors must independently verify every reference and citation included in their manuscripts.

Generative AI systems may produce inaccurate, incomplete, misleading, or nonexistent references.

Authors must not include fabricated or unverifiable references.

Generative AI should not be cited as a scholarly source or used as evidence supporting scientific claims.

Authors should cite the original scholarly sources on which their arguments and claims are based.

8. AI and Originality

Authors are responsible for ensuring that AI-assisted content does not result in plagiarism, inappropriate paraphrasing, copyright infringement, fabricated information, or misrepresentation of another person's intellectual contribution.

Use of AI does not exempt authors from IJMSEd's policies concerning originality, plagiarism, research misconduct, copyright, or intellectual property.

9. AI-Generated or AI-Modified Images

Authors must disclose substantive use of generative AI in creating or materially modifying images, illustrations, diagrams, or other visual research materials.

AI-generated or AI-modified images must not misrepresent research data, participants, observations, experimental results, or other evidence.

Authors remain responsible for ensuring that visual materials comply with applicable copyright, ethical, privacy, and research-integrity requirements.

Routine technical adjustments that do not alter the meaning or interpretation of an image are not considered substantive AI generation.

10. AI in Data Analysis and Research Methods

When AI or automated tools form part of the research methodology, their use must be reported transparently in the Method section rather than being treated solely as manuscript-preparation assistance.

Authors should provide sufficient information to allow readers to understand and evaluate the role of the technology, including, where relevant:

  • name of the tool or system;
  • version or model;
  • purpose of use;
  • procedures employed;
  • human oversight;
  • validation procedures; and
  • limitations relevant to interpretation of the findings.

11. Confidential and Sensitive Information

Authors must exercise caution when entering unpublished research data, confidential information, identifiable participant information, copyrighted material, or other sensitive content into external AI systems.

Authors are responsible for ensuring compliance with research ethics, informed consent, confidentiality obligations, intellectual property rights, institutional policies, and applicable data-protection requirements.

12. Use of AI by Peer Reviewers

Manuscripts submitted to IJMSEd are confidential documents.

Peer reviewers must not use generative AI to generate or substantially write their peer-review reports.

Reviewers must not upload unpublished manuscripts, manuscript sections, figures, tables, supplementary files, participant information, confidential data, or other submission materials to external generative AI systems where confidentiality cannot be assured.

Peer-review reports must represent the reviewer's own scholarly judgment and expertise.

Limited language editing of a review may be acceptable where confidentiality is fully protected and any use is consistent with journal requirements, but responsibility for the final review remains entirely with the reviewer.

13. Use of AI by Editors

Editors must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.

Editors must not use generative AI to make or generate editorial assessments or decisions regarding submitted manuscripts.

Editors must not upload confidential manuscripts or unpublished submission materials to external generative AI systems where doing so could compromise confidentiality, privacy, copyright, or intellectual property.

Editorial decisions must remain under meaningful human control and be based on scholarly judgment.

14. Automated Tools Used by IJMSEd

IJMSEd may use appropriate automated tools to support routine editorial functions, such as:

  • similarity checking;
  • metadata processing;
  • technical manuscript screening;
  • reference checking; or
  • other administrative or research-integrity checks.

Where automated tools are used, they support rather than replace human editorial judgment.

The journal will seek to ensure that such tools are appropriate for their intended purpose and that significant outputs affecting editorial decisions are reviewed by editors or appropriately qualified personnel.

15. Similarity Detection and AI Detection

Similarity-detection or AI-detection software, where used, is considered a screening tool rather than definitive evidence of misconduct.

IJMSEd will not determine plagiarism, inappropriate AI use, or other research-integrity violations solely on the basis of an automated numerical score or detection result.

Potential concerns identified by automated systems must be evaluated by a human editor before editorial action is taken.

16. AI and Peer Reviewer Selection

Automated tools may support administrative searches or identification of potential expertise, but the selection and invitation of reviewers must remain under appropriate editorial oversight.

Editors are responsible for verifying reviewer suitability, expertise, independence, identity where appropriate, and potential conflicts of interest.

Reviewer selection must not be delegated entirely to an automated system.

17. Undisclosed or Inappropriate AI Use

Failure to disclose substantive AI use when disclosure is required may be treated as a transparency or research-integrity concern.

Where inappropriate or undisclosed AI use is identified, IJMSEd may request clarification or correction from the authors.

Depending on the nature and severity of the issue, editorial action may include:

  • requesting revision;
  • requesting an appropriate AI disclosure;
  • rejecting the manuscript;
  • publishing a correction;
  • issuing an expression of concern; or
  • retracting a published article where serious research-integrity problems justify such action.

Decisions will be made according to the circumstances of each case and the journal's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement.

18. Human Oversight

IJMSEd follows the principle that meaningful human oversight must remain central to scholarly publishing.

AI and automated technologies may assist certain processes, but responsibility for research, peer review, editorial evaluation, and publication decisions remains with qualified human authors, reviewers, and editors.

19. Policy Updates

Because AI technologies and scholarly publishing standards continue to develop rapidly, IJMSEd may periodically revise this policy.

Authors, reviewers, and editors are encouraged to consult the current version of this policy when participating in the journal's publication process.

International Journal of Mathematics and Sciences Education (IJMSEd)
Publisher: Nashir Al-Kutub Indonesia