AI Policy

To promote responsible and ethical use of Artificial intelligence (AI), LingTera has established this AI Policy as a comprehensive guideline for all stakeholders, including authors, reviewers, editors, contributors, and readers. This policy is aligned with the internationally recognized principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), an organization committed to upholding integrity in research and scholarly publishing.

 

Definition

Within this policy, AI tools are defined as digital systems, platforms, or software that employ artificial intelligence methods such as machine learning, natural language processing, or deep learning, to generate, analyze, translate, summarize, or modify textual, numerical, visual, or audio data in academic contexts. Examples include, but are not limited to: Generative AI systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and other large language models (LLMs), writing and language support tools such as Grammarly, DeepL Write, and QuillBot, AI-assisted tools for data analysis, coding, and visualization, and AI-powered tools for literature search and citation management.

 

AI Use by Authors

No Disclosure Required

Authors are not required to disclose the use of AI tools when they are used solely for basic language support that does not alter the academic content or meaning of the manuscript. This includes:

  1. correcting grammar, spelling, and punctuation
  2. formatting references and citations according to required styles
  3. making minor improvements to clarity and readability without changing the intended meaning

Disclosure Required

Authors must disclose the use of AI tools when they are applied beyond basic language assistance. This includes:

  1. substantial editing, rewriting, restructuring, or summarizing of the manuscript
  2. translation that goes beyond simple language polishing
  3. assistance with coding, data processing, statistical analysis, or modeling, provided all outputs are validated and reproducible
  4. use for literature exploration or idea development, provided all claims and references are independently verified by the authors

Restricted and Prohibited Uses

The following uses of AI tools are not allowed:

  1. generating an entire manuscript or major portions of scholarly content in place of the authors’ own analysis
  2. creating citations or references without verifying their accuracy and existence
  3. fabricating, falsifying, or manipulating data, results, images, or conclusions
  4. producing content that violates copyright or uses identifiable third-party materials without proper permission
  5. paraphrasing or summarizing published work in a way that constitutes plagiarism

 

Visuals and images

a. The use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create or modify images in submitted manuscripts is not permitted. This includes:

1) adding, removing, or altering elements within an image

2) making changes that modify the original content or meaning

b. Basic image adjustments are allowed only if they do not distort or obscure the original information, such as brightness, contrast, color balance

c. If AI tools are used as part of the research methodology, their use must be clearly described in the Methods section, including: the name of the tool or model, version and provider, how the outputs were generated.

d. Authors may be required to provide original or unedited images for editorial review.

e. The use of AI tools to generate artwork (e.g., graphical abstracts) is not permitted.

f. Exceptions for cover art may be considered only with: prior approval from the Editor, proper clearance of usage rights, appropriate attribution

 

Authorship

Artificial intelligence cannot be recognized as an author or co-author, nor cited in that capacity. Authorship is reserved exclusively for human contributors, as it entails accountability for the work. All listed authors are responsible for the overall integrity, originality, and ethical compliance of the manuscript.

 

Transparency, Research Integrity, and Ethical Considerations

Disclosure of AI Use

Authors are required to clearly disclose any use of AI tools in their research. This includes specifying the tool’s name, version, underlying approach (if relevant), and its role in generating or supporting the findings. The disclosure should be placed appropriately within the manuscript, depending on how the tool was used:

  • Methods section: if AI contributed to data analysis, coding, figure generation (where permitted), or other methodological processes
  • Acknowledgements section: if AI was used for substantial writing assistance, translation, or restructuring beyond basic proofreading
  • Dedicated statement: authors are encouraged to include a section titled “The use of AI or AI-assisted technologies” before the References

Example statement:
During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [Name of Tool / Service] for [purpose]. Following its use, the author(s) reviewed and revised the content as necessary and take full responsibility for the final manuscript.

 

Ethical Use of AI

Authors must ensure that any AI tools they use comply with standards of privacy, confidentiality, intellectual property, and data protection. Confidential, proprietary, sensitive, or personally identifiable information must not be shared with third-party AI systems unless there is a clear legal basis and appropriate safeguards in place.

The maximum acceptable AI writing detection score in Turnitin is 25%. Manuscripts exceeding this threshold must be revised accordingly before they can be considered for publication.

Manuscripts that do not comply with these guidelines may be rejected. Any breaches of this policy will be handled in accordance with the journal’s established ethical standards and procedures.

 

Policy Updates

LingTera will regularly review and update this policy to ensure alignment with current best practices, legal requirements, and ethical standards in scholarly publishing.