Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage Policy

Vocational: Journal of Educational Technology is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, originality, and ethical publishing practices. In response to the increasing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in academic workflows, this policy outlines the acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI tools for authors, reviewers, and editors involved in the publication process.

 

For Authors

Permitted Uses of AI

Authors may use AI tools to assist with certain non-substantive aspects of manuscript preparation, including:

  • Language and Readability
    AI tools may be employed for grammar correction, language refinement, and stylistic adjustments. Authors remain fully responsible for reviewing, validating, and approving all revisions.

  • Illustrative Examples
    AI-generated examples may be used for explanatory or illustrative purposes, provided they are clearly identified and appropriately cited within the manuscript.

  • Data Analysis Support
    AI tools may support data analysis conducted through established research methods. The methodology section must explicitly describe the tools used, relevant parameters, and the rationale for their application.

Prohibited Uses of AI

The following uses of AI tools are strictly prohibited:

  • Authorship and Substantive Content Creation
    AI tools must not be used to generate substantive scholarly content, including abstracts, literature reviews, methodologies, results, discussions, or conclusions. All intellectual contributions must be the original work of the authors.
    Artificial Intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors under any circumstances, as they do not meet authorship criteria and cannot assume responsibility for scholarly work.

  • Data Fabrication or Simulation
    AI tools must not be used to fabricate, manipulate, or simulate research data, statistical analyses, or findings. All reported data must originate from authentic and verifiable research activities.

  • AI-Generated Images and Visuals
    The use of AI-generated images, figures, or visualizations is not permitted due to concerns regarding authenticity, reproducibility, and ethical compliance.

Disclosure Requirement

Authors are required to disclose any use of AI tools in the preparation of their manuscript. A disclosure statement must be included in the Acknowledgments section, specifying the name of the tool and its purpose (e.g., “This manuscript was proofread using [AI Tool Name] to improve grammar and clarity.”).

 

For Reviewers

Permitted Uses of AI

Reviewers may use AI tools solely to support the preparation of their review reports, such as:

  • Improving language clarity, grammar, or formatting.

  • Verifying references or basic factual information unrelated to the manuscript’s intellectual evaluation.

Prohibited Uses of AI

Reviewers must not:

  • Use AI tools to evaluate the scholarly merit, originality, or intellectual contribution of a manuscript.

  • Upload, share, or disclose any part of a manuscript to AI tools, ensuring strict confidentiality of the peer review process.

Responsibilities

Reviewers are expected to identify and report any suspected misuse of AI tools by authors, including AI-generated content or fabricated data, and promptly inform the editorial team. Confidentiality must be strictly maintained at all times.

 

For Editors

Permitted Uses of AI

Editors may use AI tools for administrative and operational purposes, including:

  • Managing editorial workflows and tracking manuscript progress.

  • Enhancing clarity and professionalism in editorial communications.

Prohibited Uses of AI

Editors must not:

  • Use AI tools to make substantive editorial decisions or assess the intellectual quality of manuscripts.

  • Generate editorial decisions or correspondence without direct human oversight and validation.

Responsibilities

Editors are responsible for:

  • Ensuring authors comply with AI disclosure requirements.

  • Addressing ethical concerns related to AI use.

  • Maintaining a rigorous, unbiased, and transparent peer review process.

  • Providing guidance to reviewers regarding ethical standards related to AI use.

 

Ethical Considerations for All Parties

AI tools may produce plausible but inaccurate or fabricated information, commonly referred to as AI hallucinations. All participants—authors, reviewers, and editors—must ensure the accuracy, reliability, and validity of all scholarly content. The use of AI must comply with established ethical principles, including data privacy protection, informed consent, transparency, and bias mitigation.

 

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Failure to comply with this AI policy may result in:

  • Rejection or retraction of manuscripts for authors.

  • Removal from the reviewer pool for breaches of confidentiality or unethical AI use.

  • Editorial investigation and corrective actions for editors who fail to enforce this policy.

 

Commitment to Ethical AI Use

Vocational: Journal of Educational Technology is committed to promoting ethical and responsible AI use in academic publishing. This policy aligns with internationally recognized publishing ethics standards, including recommendations from COPE and major scholarly publishers regarding the responsible use of AI-assisted technologies in scientific writing. you can find additional information here.

For further inquiries or clarification, please contact the editorial office at: vocational@smpharapanananda.sch.id