AI Use Policy

Scope and Purpose

The Journal of Population and Social Studies (JPSS) recognizes the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic writing, research, and publishing. While AI can assist in various aspects of the research process, its use must be transparent, ethical, and aligned with academic integrity. This policy outlines the acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in manuscript submissions.

AI-Generated Content

  • JPSS does not permit the submission of manuscripts that have been substantially generated by AI (e.g., ChatGPT, Bard, Claude).
  • Authors must ensure that all intellectual contributions, including writing, argumentation, and data interpretation, are human-generated.
  • AI tools cannot be credited as authors since they do not meet authorship criteria set by the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) and ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors).
  • If a manuscript contains a substantial amount of AI-generated text, regardless of the stated intent (e.g., translation, editing), it may be rejected. Excessive reliance on AI, even for permissible purposes, may compromise the scholarly clarity, tone, and credibility expected by the journal.

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing

  • The use of AI-powered tools for language translation (e.g., DeepL, Google Translate, ChatGPT) and language editing (e.g., Grammarly, QuillBot) is permissible.
  • Authors must disclose any AI assistance in translation or editing in a separate statement in the manuscript (e.g., in the acknowledgments or methods section).
  • Authors remain responsible for verifying the accuracy of AI-assisted translations and edits to ensure clarity and correctness.
  • Where AI-assisted translation or editing results in unclear, distorted, or incoherent academic expression, or where AI involvement is found to be excessive, the manuscript may be rejected.

AI in Research and Data Analysis

  • AI-assisted data analysis, modeling, and statistical computation (e.g., machine learning, AI-driven text mining) is acceptable if it is methodologically transparent and reproducible.
  • Any use of AI in research must be clearly described in the Methods section, with details of the AI tool, model parameters, and data sources.
  • Fabrication of data, results, or references using AI is strictly prohibited.

AI in Literature Review and Research Discovery

  • The use of AI-assisted tools for literature review and research discovery (e.g., SciSpace, Research Rabbit) is acceptable.
  • These tools may be used to explore, organize, and summarize academic literature, but authors are responsible for evaluating the accuracy, relevance, and completeness of any sources identified.
  • AI-generated summaries must not be quoted directly or presented as original interpretations without proper review and attribution by the authors.

AI Detection and Ethical Considerations

  • JPSS employs AI detection tools to assess the presence of AI-generated content.
  • If an AI detection report suggests substantial AI involvement beyond what has been disclosed, authors may be required to provide further clarification.
  • AI tools should not be used in a manner that compromises research integrity, such as plagiarism, data manipulation, or excessive paraphrasing of obscure sources.

Compliance and Consequences

  • Authors must comply with this AI policy by providing a clear disclosure statement when AI tools have been used.
  • Failure to disclose AI use or suspected misuse of AI tools may result in manuscript rejection or retraction in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Disclosure Statement Template

Authors using AI-assisted translation, editing, or research analysis must include the following statement in their manuscript:

"The authors acknowledge the use of [name of AI tool] for [specific purpose, e.g., language translation, grammar checking, data analysis]. The final manuscript has been reviewed and approved by the authors to ensure accuracy and integrity."