Generative AI (GenAI) Policy

The Journal of Integrated Social Sciences and Wellbeing (JISSAW) establishes strict ethical guidelines for the use of Generative AI in scholarly work. This policy ensures integrity, transparency, and accountability, in full alignment with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) standards.

1. Definition and Scope

Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence systems (e.g., Large Language Models like ChatGPT, image generators like DALL-E) capable of producing text, images, or data. While these tools can serve as assistants, they cannot replace human critical thinking or authorship.

2. Acceptable Use

  • Writing Assistance: AI tools may be used to refine language, improve readability, or structure arguments (e.g., editing a manuscript on social policy). However, the core intellectual contribution must remain human.
  • Data Analysis: AI algorithms are permitted for processing large datasets (e.g., analyzing patterns in community mental health surveys), provided the authors explicitly validate the output against raw data.
  • Content Limit: To preserve human intellectual value, AI-generated text must not exceed 19% of the total manuscript. Submissions exceeding this threshold will be flagged during the initial screening.

3. Disclosure Requirements

Transparency is mandatory. Authors must declare the use of AI in the following sections:

  • Methods Section: Detail how AI was used for data processing or analysis (e.g., "Machine learning algorithms were used to code qualitative interview transcripts").
  • Acknowledgments: Disclose the use of AI for writing or editing support (e.g., "ChatGPT-4 was used to refine the grammatical structure of the abstract").
  • Declaration: Authors must specify the exact tool used (Name, Version, and Manufacturer).

4. Authorship and Accountability

  • No AI Authorship: AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors as they lack the legal standing to take responsibility for the work.
  • Human Responsibility: Human authors assume full liability for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of all content, including any AI-assisted portions. Authors must manually verify all AI-generated citations to prevent "hallucinated" references.

5. Ethical Integrity

  • Plagiarism: AI-generated text must be original. Using AI to paraphrase existing work without proper citation is considered plagiarism. All submissions undergo strict screening via Turnitin.
  • Data Manipulation: The use of AI to fabricate or manipulate data (e.g., generating fake survey responses to fit a hypothesis) is strict scientific misconduct and will result in immediate rejection.