ECJ

Artificial Intelligence Policy

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) POLICY

English Community Journal (ECJ) recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies can support scholarly writing, research organization, language editing, and selected technical tasks. However, the use of AI must uphold academic integrity, transparency, confidentiality, research authenticity, and human accountability.

This policy applies to authors, editors, reviewers, and other individuals involved in the journal's editorial and publication processes.

1. AI Policy for Authors

Authors may use generative AI and AI-assisted tools in a limited and supportive capacity, provided that these tools do not replace independent scholarly judgment, critical reasoning, research analysis, interpretation, or intellectual contributions.

Permissible supporting activities may include:

  • Improving grammar, spelling, readability, academic language, and manuscript organization.

  • Assisting with translation and language refinement.

  • Organizing research literature and bibliographic references.

  • Summarizing literature for subsequent independent verification.

  • Brainstorming preliminary research ideas, concepts, or potential research gaps.

  • Checking manuscript completeness against author guidelines or reporting standards.

  • Supporting appropriately verified coding, data visualization, and technical presentation.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, validity, and integrity of all submitted and published materials, regardless of whether AI-assisted tools have been used.

1.1. Verification and Academic Responsibility

Authors must critically evaluate and independently verify all AI-generated or AI-assisted content before submission.

This responsibility includes verifying:

  • The factual accuracy and scientific validity of generated information.

  • The consistency of statements with actual research data and findings.

  • The accuracy of statistical analyses and methodological explanations.

  • The existence, relevance, and accuracy of references, citations, quotations, and Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs).

  • The appropriateness of theoretical explanations and interpretations.

  • The absence of fabricated information, misleading claims, or discriminatory bias.

  • Compliance with copyright, intellectual property, research ethics, and confidentiality requirements.

AI-generated content must not be accepted solely because it appears fluent, authoritative, or technically convincing.

The final manuscript must represent the authors' authentic scholarly contribution and independent academic judgment.

1.2. Prohibited Uses of AI

English Community Journal strictly prohibits using AI to:

  1. Fabricate, falsify, invent, or manipulate research data, findings, participants, observations, or experimental results.

  2. Generate fictitious references, citations, quotations, DOIs, or scholarly evidence.

  3. Misrepresent AI-generated content as original empirical research findings.

  4. Present synthetic data as authentic research data without legitimate methodological justification and transparent disclosure.

  5. Conceal plagiarism, duplicate publication, or inappropriate textual reuse.

  6. Generate false ethical approvals, research documentation, participant information, or supporting evidence.

  7. Manipulate research images, figures, transcripts, or other research materials in ways that misrepresent the evidence.

  8. Substitute AI-generated conclusions for independent interpretation and scientific reasoning.

Serious misuse of AI may constitute research or publication misconduct and will be addressed in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement.

1.3. AI Authorship and Accountability

AI systems, large language models, chatbots, AI agents, and other automated tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors.

Authorship requires human accountability, including responsibility for research integrity, approval of the final manuscript, agreement to submission and publication, disclosure of competing interests, and cooperation in correcting the scholarly record when necessary.

All listed authors must satisfy the journal's applicable authorship criteria and remain accountable for the published work.

1.4. AI Use Disclosure

Authors must disclose substantive use of generative AI in preparing manuscripts, conducting research-related analyses, developing materials, or producing scholarly content.

The disclosure should identify the AI tool, its purpose, and the extent of its contribution.

Routine spelling, punctuation, and basic grammar corrections generally do not require disclosure.

Where AI is used in data analysis, coding, translation of research materials, or other activities that may influence the research process or interpretation, its role must be described transparently in the appropriate manuscript section.

Example of AI Disclosure Statement:

During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used [AI tool and version, if available] to assist with [specific purpose]. All AI-assisted content was critically reviewed, verified, and revised by the authors. The authors take full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the final manuscript.

2. AI Policy for Editors

Editors and editorial staff of English Community Journal are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, independence, and fairness of the editorial process.

2.1. Confidentiality and Data Protection

Editors must not upload, disclose, or transmit confidential editorial materials to external generative AI systems.

Such materials include:

  • Submitted manuscripts or manuscript sections.

  • Unpublished research data and supplementary materials.

  • Figures, tables, and research instruments.

  • Reviewer reports and confidential editorial correspondence.

  • Author identities or other confidential information.

  • Information obtained exclusively through the editorial process.

This restriction applies even when an external AI service claims to provide private or secure processing.

2.2. Editorial Judgment and Decision-Making

AI must not replace an editor's independent scientific judgment, critical assessment, evaluation of reviewer reports, ethical review, or publication decisions.

Final decisions concerning manuscript acceptance, revision, rejection, or publication must be made by authorized human editors.

AI may be used only for supportive, non-confidential tasks, such as improving independently prepared general editorial communications, organizing public information, or assisting with literature searches that do not involve confidential manuscript content.

Editors remain fully responsible for all editorial decisions and communications.

2.3. Editorial Accountability

Editors must ensure that AI-assisted activities do not compromise:

  • Editorial independence.

  • Confidentiality and data protection.

  • Fairness and impartiality.

  • Publication ethics.

  • Transparency and accountability.

Suspected inappropriate AI use will be addressed according to the journal's editorial and publication ethics policies.

3. AI Policy for Reviewers

Peer review in English Community Journal requires independent human expertise, critical reasoning, methodological assessment, and professional judgment.

Reviewers must not use AI as a substitute for their scholarly evaluation of submitted manuscripts.

3.1. Confidentiality of Peer Review

Reviewers must not upload, disclose, or transmit confidential peer-review materials to external generative AI systems.

Confidential materials include submitted manuscripts, tables, figures, unpublished data, supplementary files, author identities, editorial communications, and other reviewers' reports.

This prohibition applies regardless of whether the AI service claims to provide secure or private processing.

3.2. Independent Reviewer Assessment

Reviewers are fully responsible for evaluating:

  • Originality and scholarly significance.

  • Research objectives and theoretical foundations.

  • Appropriateness of research methodology.

  • Validity and reliability of research instruments, where applicable.

  • Accuracy of data analysis and interpretation.

  • Relevance of findings and conclusions.

  • Compliance with research and publication ethics.

  • Contribution to English Language Education, Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, Literature, or Cultural Studies.

AI must not replace independent academic evaluation, generate unsupported reviewer judgments, or determine recommendations concerning manuscript acceptance or rejection.

3.3. Permissible Supporting Uses

Reviewers may use AI-assisted tools for limited non-confidential activities, such as improving the grammar, readability, or organization of their independently written review reports.

General literature searches may also be supported by AI, provided that no confidential manuscript information is disclosed.

3.4. Disclosure of AI Use

Reviewers must disclose substantive use of generative AI tools during the preparation of peer-review reports, including the tool used and its specific purpose.

Routine spelling, punctuation, and basic grammar corrections generally do not require disclosure.

Reviewers remain fully responsible for the accuracy, fairness, originality, confidentiality, and professional quality of their evaluations.

4. Compliance and Ethical Responsibilities

English Community Journal expects all authors, editors, and reviewers to comply with this policy throughout the publication process.

Suspected violations may result in requests for clarification, manuscript revision, editorial reassessment, rejection, or appropriate post-publication action, depending on the nature and severity of the concern.

All allegations will be evaluated fairly, with appropriate opportunities for explanation and consideration of the available evidence.

This policy complements the journal's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement, Peer Review Process, Plagiarism Screening Policy, and Privacy Statement.

English Community Journal may periodically review and update this policy in response to technological developments, changes in scholarly publishing practices, and relevant publication ethics guidance.