Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy
Policy Statement
The International Journal of Environmental and Agriculture Research (IJOEAR) acknowledges the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in scholarly publishing. This policy establishes clear guidelines for the responsible use of AI technologies by authors, reviewers, editors, and readers while maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, originality, and accountability.
Prohibited AI Practices
The following uses of AI are strictly prohibited in submissions to IJOEAR:
| Prohibited Practice | Explanation |
|---|---|
| AI as Co-Author | AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors. Only human individuals who meet authorship criteria can be credited. |
| AI-Generated Content Without Verification | Copying or paraphrasing AI-generated text without human verification and substantial intellectual contribution is unacceptable. |
| Using AI to generate fake datasets, experimental results, or non-existent references constitutes research misconduct. | |
| Complete Manuscript Generation | Submitting manuscripts entirely written by AI without meaningful human intellectual input will be rejected immediately. |
| Circumventing Plagiarism Detection | Using AI to paraphrase existing work to avoid plagiarism detection is prohibited. |
| Image or Figure Manipulation | AI-generated images or manipulated figures that misrepresent research findings are not permitted. |
Zero Tolerance Policy
Manuscripts found to contain AI-generated content without proper disclosure or that violate prohibited practices will be rejected immediately. Repeated violations may result in a publication ban of up to three years for all authors involved.
Disclosure Requirements
Authors must transparently disclose all uses of AI tools in their manuscript preparation process.
Required Disclosure Statement
The following statement must be included in the Acknowledgements or Methods section of the manuscript:
"During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME OF AI TOOL] for [SPECIFIC PURPOSE, e.g., language editing / literature review assistance / data analysis support]. After using this tool, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published article."
For no AI use: No disclosure statement is required, but authors may optionally state "No AI tools were used in the preparation of this manuscript."
- ChatGPT, GPT-4, or any large language model (LLM)
- Claude, Gemini, or similar conversational AI
- DeepL, Grammarly (advanced features only)
- Any AI tool used for content generation
- Spell checkers (MS Word, Google Docs)
- Basic grammar checkers
- Reference managers (Zotero, Mendeley)
- Plagiarism detection software
Reviewers & AI Use
Peer reviewers play a critical role in maintaining scholarly integrity. The following guidelines apply to reviewers:
No AI-Generated Reviews
Reviewers must not upload confidential manuscripts to AI tools (including ChatGPT) for review assistance. This violates confidentiality agreements and may expose unpublished research.
Language Assistance Permitted
Reviewers may use AI for language improvement of their own review comments, provided no manuscript content is uploaded to the AI tool.
Confidentiality Warning
Uploading any part of a confidential manuscript to an AI tool (including for grammar checking or summarization) is a breach of confidentiality and may result in removal from the reviewer panel. Reviewers who use AI must ensure no manuscript text is shared with third-party AI systems.
Editors & AI Use
IJOEAR editorial team members follow these AI usage guidelines:
- AI for Initial Screening: AI tools may assist with plagiarism detection, image manipulation detection, or formatting checks. Final decisions remain solely with human editors.
- No AI for Editorial Decisions: Acceptance or rejection decisions are made exclusively by the Editor-in-Chief or handling editor based on peer review reports and editorial judgment. AI cannot make or recommend publication decisions.
- Confidentiality: Editors must not upload manuscripts to publicly available AI tools for any purpose.
- Transparency: Any use of AI in editorial workflows is documented and auditable.
Editorial Accountability: All editorial decisions at IJOEAR are made by qualified human editors with subject matter expertise. AI serves only as an assistive tool, never as a decision-maker.
Enforcement & Violations
IJOEAR takes violations of this AI policy seriously. Consequences may include:
| Violation Type | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Undisclosed AI use (minor) | Author notified, disclosure requested before final acceptance |
| Undisclosed AI use (significant) | Manuscript rejection, warning letter to authors |
| AI listed as co-author | Immediate manuscript rejection |
| AI-generated fake data or references | Rejection, 1-3 year publication ban, institution notified |
| Reviewer confidentiality breach via AI | Removal from reviewer panel, reported to Editor-in-Chief |
| Repeated violations (author) | 3-year publication ban from IJOEAR |
Reporting Violations
To report suspected violations of this AI policy, please contact the editorial office at info@ijoear.com or info.ijoear@gmail.com with the subject line "AI Policy Violation." Provide manuscript details (if applicable) and evidence supporting the concern. All reports will be investigated confidentially.
Have Questions About AI Policy?
If you are unsure whether a specific use of AI is permitted, please contact us before submitting your manuscript.
+91-7665235235
For urgent AI policy clarification, please include "AI Policy Query" in your email subject line.