Generative AI Policy

Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Academic Publishing

Journal of Evaluation and Strategic Studies of Basic Education (JEKAS) / Jurnal Evaluasi dan Kajian Strategis Pendidikan Dasar

1. Scope and General Principles

Journal of Evaluation and Strategic Studies of Basic Education (JEKAS) recognizes that Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly Generative Artificial Intelligence (Generative AI/GenAI), may support research, academic writing, editing, analysis, and scholarly communication when used responsibly. This policy applies to all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, editors, reviewers, and journal staff. The use of AI must adhere to the principles of:

Transparency — substantive AI use must be clearly disclosed;
Human accountability — scientific responsibility cannot be delegated to AI systems;
Research integrity — AI must not be used for fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, data manipulation, or other practices compromising research integrity;
Confidentiality and data protection — unpublished manuscripts, research data, personal information, and peer-review materials must be protected; and
Human oversight — all AI-generated outputs must be critically reviewed and verified by humans.

AI may serve only as a supporting tool and must not replace human critical thinking, intellectual contribution, scientific interpretation, or decision-making.

2. Definitions

2.1 Generative Artificial Intelligence

Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence technologies capable of generating or modifying text, images, audio, code, synthetic data, or other forms of content based on user input.

These technologies include, but are not limited to, Large Language Models and generative AI services such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, DALL·E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and similar technologies.

2.2 AI-Assisted Technologies

AI-assisted technologies are AI-based tools used to support human activities such as language editing, translation, information organization, data analysis, programming, and other supporting tasks.

The use of such technologies does not reduce the user's responsibility to verify the accuracy, validity, originality, and integrity of their outputs.

3. AI and Authorship

JEKAS does not recognize AI systems, Generative AI, Large Language Models, chatbots, or other AI-based technologies as authors or co-authors.

Authorship requires the ability to make intellectual contributions, approve the final manuscript, assume responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the work, manage conflicts of interest, and respond to questions concerning the published work.

Because AI systems cannot fulfill these responsibilities, they must not be listed as authors or co-authors.

Full responsibility for the manuscript remains with the human authors.

4. Use of AI by Authors

JEKAS permits the responsible use of Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies as supporting tools, provided that they do not replace the authors' intellectual contributions, academic reasoning, or scholarly judgment.

Subject to human review and verification, AI may assist with:

improving language clarity and readability;
editing sentence structure;
translation;
suggesting organizational structures;
identifying keywords;
organizing information or literature;
programming or coding;
exploratory data processing where methodologically appropriate; and
other technical activities associated with manuscript preparation.

Authors must critically review and verify all AI-generated outputs before incorporating them into a manuscript.

AI-generated information must not be treated as an authoritative scientific source. Facts, quotations, references, DOIs, analytical results, and other information must be verified against original and reliable sources.

5. AI Use Requiring Disclosure

Authors must disclose substantive use of Generative AI when it materially contributes to the manuscript or research process, including its use to:

generate or substantially develop manuscript text;
summarize or synthesize literature;
support the development of arguments or conceptual frameworks;
perform substantive translation;
generate or modify research code;
assist with data analysis or interpretation;
generate or modify tables, diagrams, illustrations, or visual materials; or
perform other activities that may influence the scientific substance of the manuscript.

When AI forms part of the research methodology, its use must also be adequately described in the Methods section, including the tool or model used, its function, procedures, and relevant verification processes.

6. AI Use That Does Not Require Disclosure

Basic automated functions involving only mechanical or technical corrections generally do not require a separate AI declaration, including:

spelling checks;
punctuation checks;
basic grammar correction;
standard reference-management functions; and
technical formatting that does not generate or substantively alter scientific content.

However, where an AI system makes substantive changes to content, argumentation, interpretation, structure, or organization, its use must be disclosed.

7. Prohibited Uses of AI

JEKAS prohibits the use of AI to:

fabricate research data presented as genuine empirical observations;
falsify or manipulate research data to obtain desired results;
generate analyses that were never actually conducted;
fabricate references, DOIs, quotations, or scientific sources;
present unverified AI-generated information as scientific fact;
conceal plagiarism or copyright infringement;
replace the authors' primary intellectual contribution;
generate scientific interpretations or conclusions without critical human evaluation;
manipulate research images or evidence in ways that alter the integrity or meaning of the original data; or
conceal AI use that should have been disclosed under this policy.

AI must also not be used to create student data, learning outcomes, participant responses, observations, interviews, test scores, or other empirical evidence that was not actually obtained through the research procedures reported in the manuscript.

The use of AI does not absolve authors from responsibility for errors, bias, fabricated information, false references, plagiarism, falsification, or other ethical violations.

8. AI and Basic Education Research Data

Because research published by JEKAS may involve children and elementary-school students, particular attention must be given to research-data protection.

Authors must not submit personally identifiable student information to public AI services, including:

student names;
identification numbers;
addresses or contact information;
identifiable photographs;
identifiable audio or video recordings;
health or psychological information;
confidential individual academic records; or
other information that may enable direct or indirect identification.

Research involving children must comply with applicable principles of privacy, confidentiality, ethical approval, informed consent/assent where relevant, and protection of vulnerable research participants.

The use of AI does not modify or reduce researchers' ethical obligations toward research participants.

9. AI-Generated References and Citations

Authors are fully responsible for verifying every reference obtained, identified, or recommended through AI systems.

Authors must verify the existence and accuracy of the source, authors, title, journal or publisher, publication details, DOI or URL, and whether the source genuinely supports the associated claim.

AI-generated or AI-recommended references must not be included in a manuscript without verification against the original publication source.

Fabricated or non-existent references may result in requests for clarification, further research-integrity assessment, or rejection of the manuscript.

10. AI-Generated Images, Figures, and Artwork

Generative AI must not be used to create or manipulate images serving as research data or scientific evidence where such generation or modification may alter the integrity or interpretation of the findings.

In particular, AI must not be used to misleadingly create or modify:

photographs of research activities;
classroom documentation;
student work;
classroom observation evidence;
screenshots reported as empirical data;
graphs not derived from genuine research data; or
other forms of evidence presented as authentic research observations.

AI-assisted conceptual diagrams, illustrations, graphical abstracts, or other non-data visual materials may be considered only when their use does not mislead readers, infringe third-party rights, or represent fabricated data and when the use of AI is transparently disclosed.

Editors may request original files, source data, or relevant documentation where necessary to verify publication integrity.

11. Declaration of AI Use

When Generative AI has been used substantively in manuscript preparation, authors must include a separate section immediately before the References, entitled:

Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Manuscript Preparation Process

Recommended declaration:

During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used [name and version of AI tool/service] for [describe the purpose]. Following the use of this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed, verified, and edited all outputs incorporated into the manuscript. All scientific analyses, interpretations, arguments, and conclusions remain the responsibility of the author(s). The author(s) take full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the article.

Where AI has been used as part of the research process, instrument development, data analysis, or other methodological procedures, appropriate details must additionally be provided in the Methods section.

12. Use of AI by Reviewers

Submitted manuscripts are confidential documents.

Reviewers must not upload a submitted manuscript or any part thereof, including abstracts, figures, tables, data, instruments, supplementary materials, or unpublished information, to public Generative AI services or AI systems that do not provide adequate confidentiality protection.

Reviewers must not delegate scientific assessment to AI.

AI must not replace human evaluation of novelty, educational relevance, theoretical grounding, methodology, validity, research findings, interpretation, ethical compliance, scholarly contribution, or the reviewer's final recommendation.

Reviewers remain fully responsible for the substance, accuracy, objectivity, and integrity of their review reports.

13. Use of AI by Editors

Editors remain fully accountable for editorial evaluation and decision-making.

Editors must not upload unpublished manuscripts or any part thereof to public AI services or systems that do not provide adequate confidentiality protection.

AI must not independently determine:

desk rejection;
manuscript acceptance;
revision decisions;
methodological evaluation;
assessment of research validity;
assessment of scientific contribution; or
final judgments regarding research quality and integrity.

AI may be used in limited administrative or technical supporting roles where manuscript and research-data confidentiality is maintained.

All final editorial decisions must be made and assumed by human Editors.

14. Confidentiality, Privacy, and Data Protection

Authors, reviewers, and editors must carefully consider the privacy policies and terms of service of any AI technologies they use.

Unpublished manuscripts, reviewer identities, confidential peer-review reports, personally identifiable student information, confidential school or teacher data, sensitive research data, protected research instruments, and other confidential materials must not be submitted to public AI systems without adequate protection.

Users remain responsible for ensuring that their use of AI does not violate privacy, confidentiality, research ethics, intellectual-property rights, or third-party rights.

15. AI Detection

JEKAS does not make editorial decisions solely on the basis of AI-content detector scores or percentages.

Where AI-detection tools are used, their outputs will be treated only as preliminary indicators, not as standalone evidence of a publication-ethics violation.

Where reasonable concerns arise, Editors may request clarification concerning the manuscript preparation process, AI use, research data, instruments, analytical methods, references, manuscript versions, or other supporting documentation.

Editorial decisions must be based on human evaluation and reliable supporting evidence, rather than solely on automated detection results.

16. Handling Suspected Violations

Suspected violations of this policy may be investigated in accordance with JEKAS's publication-ethics and research-integrity procedures.

The journal may request clarification, AI-use declarations, raw data, research instruments, supporting documentation, verification of references, previous manuscript versions, or additional evidence concerning data and image integrity.

Where appropriate, the authors' institution may be contacted.

Confirmed violations may result in manuscript rejection, termination of peer review, article correction, expression of concern, article retraction, or other actions proportionate to the nature and severity of the violation and consistent with applicable publication-ethics guidelines.

17. Authors' Final Responsibility

The use of AI does not diminish authors' responsibility for manuscripts submitted to JEKAS.

By submitting a manuscript, all authors confirm that they:

have read and approved the manuscript;
have verified the accuracy of its data and information;
confirm that research data originate from the procedures reported in the manuscript;
have verified all references and citations;
are responsible for the originality of the work;
have fulfilled applicable ethical obligations concerning research participants;
have disclosed AI use where required; and
accept full responsibility for the scientific integrity of the article.

AI may assist scholarly work, but scientific responsibility and accountability remain human.

18. Policy Review and Updates

AI technologies and standards for responsible scholarly publishing continue to evolve. Journal of Evaluation and Strategic Studies of Basic Education (JEKAS) therefore reserves the right to periodically review and update this policy in response to developments in technology, regulation, research ethics, publication ethics, and international scholarly-publishing practices.

This policy has been developed with consideration of internationally recognized principles and guidance concerning the responsible use of artificial intelligence in scholarly communication and academic publishing.

Last updated: August 2026.