Artificial Intelligence Policy

AI Policy for the Journal of Trauma Studies in Education (JTSE)

 

Introduction
As an academic journal committed to maintaining high standards of research integrity and confidentiality, JTSE acknowledges the growing role of generative AI tools in academic research and writing. This policy provides clear guidelines for the ethical and appropriate use of generative AI tools in the submission and review processes. The goal of this policy is to safeguard the privacy and confidentiality of authors and their work while ensuring that academic integrity is upheld.

 

  1. Role of Generative AI Tools
    Generative AI tools, including language models, are not considered authors. As such, they cannot be listed as contributors to a manuscript. Authors are fully responsible for the content they submit, ensuring its accuracy and validity. AI tools should not be credited as authors, co-authors, or reviewers in any capacity.

 

  1. Confidentiality, Privacy, and the Peer Review Process
    Given the nature of language learning models and their data usage, reviewers and editors are encouraged to be thoughtful and judicious in using generative AI tools. More specifically, manuscripts, data sets, and any related materials submitted by authors must not be shared with AI tools, as this could lead to breaches of confidentiality and privacy, particularly with personal or sensitive information. Additionally, reviews should be conducted solely based on the individual expertise and judgment of the reviewer, without reliance on AI-generated content. However, reviewers may upload their notes to AI in order to organize thoughts and ensure clarity of communication. In this instance, the reviewer must ensure that no identifiers are included in such notes such as names, article title, etc.

 

  1. Disclosures of AI Use, Transparency, and Accountability
    Authors must disclose both the use and specific application of any generative AI tools employed in the preparation of the manuscript (e.g., brainstorming, literature review, language editing, etc.) in the methods section of the manuscript. This includes any AI tools used to assist in writing, data analysis, or content generation. Authors must:
  • State the use of AI: Clearly indicate that generative AI tools were used.
  • Specify how and which AI was used: Detail how and which AI tools were applied (e.g., for idea generation, writing assistance, grammar checking, data analysis, image creation, etc.).

Additionally, AI tools used in research design, data collection, or analysis must be disclosed with sufficient detail in the methods section, including the specific tools employed and their roles in the research process.

To maintain transparency, authors must clearly outline both the use and application of AI tools and take full accountability for the final content of the manuscript. If any concerns arise regarding the use of AI in the submission, editors reserve the right to request further clarification or documentation.

 

  1. AI-Altered or Created Images
    Images that have been altered or generated by AI tools are not accepted for submission. Only original images or those derived from traditional academic methodologies will be considered. If AI-generated images are included in the manuscript, authors will be required to revise their submission before it is reviewed.

 

  1. Violations of the AI Policy
    Failure to comply with this policy may result in the rejection of the manuscript, retraction of the article if it has already been published, or other appropriate actions as deemed necessary by the editorial board. By adhering to this policy, we ensure the ethical use of generative AI tools in academic publishing while protecting the integrity, confidentiality, and quality of the research. JTSE remains committed to maintaining rigorous standards and transparency in all aspects of the publication process.

 

  1. Amendments

This policy may be reviewed and amended by the editorial leadership team as necessary to align with best practices in academic publishing and ethical governance.

Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Approved by: JTSE Editorial Board Vote