1. Introduction and Purpose

The International Journal of Educational Research Excellence (IJEREC) recognizes the transformative potential of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in scholarly research and writing. AI tools can offer significant opportunities for enhancing productivity, such as language refinement, literature summarization, and data analysis assistance. However, the adoption of these technologies also presents critical challenges concerning ethics, transparency, and scientific integrity. This policy establishes clear guidelines to ensure that all AI use in submissions to IJEREC aligns with our commitment to academic excellence and ethical standards .

2. Core Principles for Generative AI Use

All authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to adhere to the following core principles:

• Maximum Transparency: The use of generative AI in the article writing process must be disclosed fully and specifically. Authors are required to explain the role of the AI, the tools used, and which parts of the manuscript received AI assistance .

• Human Accountability Remains Paramount: Authors are fully responsible for all aspects of their work, including any content generated with AI assistance. All claims, interpretations, and conclusions must originate from the human authors, who are accountable for the integrity of the entire submission .

• Intellectual Originality: AI should not be used to generate ideas or content that replaces the critical thinking and original contributions of the authors. The function of AI should ideally be limited to enhancing productivity and providing technical assistance .

• Verification and Validation: All facts, references, and data generated or suggested by AI must be independently verified by the authors. The risk of AI "hallucination" (generation of factually incorrect content) must be anticipated and mitigated through careful human oversight .

3. Practical Guidelines for Authors

Authors must comply with the following requirements when using generative AI tools in the preparation of their manuscripts:

• Mandatory Disclosure Statement: All manuscripts utilizing generative AI must include a transparency statement in the Methods or Acknowledgments section. This statement must specify:

  1. The specific AI tool(s) used (e.g., ChatGPT-4, Gemini, Claude).

  2. The purpose of use (e.g., language enhancement, creating outlines, summarizing literature).

  3. The sections of the manuscript that received AI assistance.

  4. The verification steps undertaken by the authors to ensure accuracy and originality .

• Prohibited Uses of AI: AI must not be used for the following purposes:

  • Generating false, fabricated, or manipulated research data.

  • Writing entire manuscript sections without substantial author oversight and contribution.

  • Replacing the critical literature review that authors are expected to conduct independently.

  • Formulating conclusions or interpretations without rigorous human supervision .

4. Journal Policy and Submission Requirements

• Mandatory Declaration: Beginning with Volume 6, 2027, all submitted manuscripts must include a statement regarding the use of generative AI. Manuscripts submitted without this statement will be returned to the authors before the review process begins .

• Reviewer Vigilance: Reviewers are expected to be vigilant for indications of inappropriate or undisclosed AI use in manuscripts they are evaluating .

• Ethical Violations: Unauthorized or undisclosed use of AI that results in plagiarism, data fabrication, or a breach of originality is a serious ethical violation and will be handled according to the journal's publication ethics guidelines, which may include rejection or retraction of the paper .

5. Conclusion

Generative AI technology, when used responsibly and transparently, can be a valuable tool in accelerating scientific progress. However, the integrity of science relies on intellectual honesty, methodological transparency, and human accountability. As a scientific community, our responsibility is to leverage these new tools without compromising the ethical standards that form the basis of public trust in science.

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the writing of this manuscript is limited to a maximum of 20% of the total content, strictly for grammar checking, limited paraphrasing, or preliminary reference searching, and all final outputs must be fully verified and solely responsible for by the author(s).