AI Policies

e-Saintika | Section 01

1. Policy Purpose and Scope

Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengkajian Ilmu Pendidikan: e-Saintika recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI), including generative AI and AI-assisted tools, can support scholarly work. Its use must not compromise the originality, accuracy, transparency, confidentiality, or integrity of research and scholarly publishing.

This policy applies to authors, peer reviewers, and editors involved in the journal's publication process. It establishes the journal's own requirements while drawing on relevant principles in guidance issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and Elsevier. Where e-Saintika adopts a more restrictive rule, the journal's stated requirements govern submissions to e-Saintika.

e-Saintika | Section 02

2. Use of AI Tools by Authors

Authors may use AI tools in a supportive capacity, such as improving language and readability, checking grammar, organizing references, assisting with translation, or supporting coding and other research-related tasks, provided the use is appropriate, disclosed where required, and carefully checked by the authors.

AI tools must not substitute for original scientific reasoning, scholarly judgment, critical synthesis, interpretation of results, or the authors' intellectual contribution. Authors must independently verify factual statements, quotations, citations, calculations, analyses, and other content produced or suggested by AI tools. AI-generated references must be checked against authentic sources.

When AI forms part of the research design, data collection, analysis, or computational methods, its use must also be described in the Methods section in sufficient detail for readers to assess the procedure and, where practicable, reproduce it.

e-Saintika | Section 03

3. AI Tools and Authorship

AI tools, chatbots, and language models must not be listed as authors or co-authors. Authorship requires responsibility for the work, approval of the final manuscript, and the ability to address questions about accuracy, integrity, conflicts of interest, and publication rights. These responsibilities must be fulfilled by human authors.

Every listed author must satisfy the journal's authorship requirements. The use of an AI tool does not reduce the responsibility of authors for the submitted or published article.

e-Saintika | Section 04

4. Disclosure of AI Use

Authors must disclose the use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools in preparing manuscript content, including substantive text editing or generation, translation, image-related tasks, and other material assistance. As specified in the journal's manuscript template, the AI-use disclosure for manuscript preparation should appear in the Acknowledgments section.

The disclosure should identify the tool or service, the model or version when known, the purpose and extent of use, and confirmation that the authors reviewed the output and accept full responsibility for the final manuscript. Research-related AI use must additionally be explained in the Methods section, as appropriate.

Example disclosure:

During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used [AI tool and version] to [describe its specific purpose]. All AI-assisted outputs were critically reviewed and verified by the authors, who take full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the manuscript.

Authors who did not use AI tools are not required to include an AI disclosure statement. They may provide a voluntary declaration of non-use if they wish. Disclosure does not by itself establish that an otherwise prohibited use is permitted.

e-Saintika | Section 05

5. Generative AI in Figures, Images, and Artwork

Under e-Saintika's journal-specific policy, authors must not use generative AI or AI-assisted image-generation tools to create or alter figures, photographs, scientific images, graphical abstracts, or other artwork submitted as manuscript content. Prohibited alterations include generating or introducing features, removing or obscuring elements, and changing an image in ways that could misrepresent its underlying information.

Routine image adjustments using conventional image-processing software, such as appropriately applied brightness, contrast, or color-balance adjustments, may be acceptable only when they do not conceal, eliminate, fabricate, or distort information. Such adjustments should be applied consistently and disclosed when necessary for interpretation or reproducibility.

Research-method exception: where the use of AI-based imaging, image processing, or image analysis forms an essential part of the research method, it may be considered if described transparently and reproducibly in the Methods section. Authors should state the tool or model, version and provider where applicable, explain how it was used, and retain original and intermediate files for possible editorial examination. This exception does not authorize fabrication or misleading manipulation of research evidence.

AI-generated cover artwork is not part of the ordinary manuscript submission pathway and may be considered only with prior written approval from the journal editor and publisher, subject to rights clearance and appropriate attribution.

e-Saintika | Section 06

6. Author Responsibility and Accountability

Authors remain fully accountable for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and lawful use of all submitted material, whether or not AI tools were involved. Authors must verify that their manuscript contains no fabricated references, incorrect scientific claims, unsupported interpretations, discriminatory bias, plagiarism, or manipulated findings arising from AI-assisted work.

Before entering unpublished manuscripts, personal information, confidential research data, or third-party material into an AI service, authors must consider data protection, confidentiality, intellectual property rights, and the service's data retention and training terms. Where the rights or confidentiality of information cannot be protected, such information must not be supplied to the tool.

The journal may request clarification of how an AI tool was used and may require authors to provide relevant documentation when concerns arise.

e-Saintika | Section 07

7. Use of AI in Peer Review

Peer reviewers must treat manuscripts, figures, data, and associated correspondence as confidential. Reviewers must not upload or paste submitted manuscripts, extracts, unpublished findings, or other confidential submission information into external AI systems without explicit authorization from the journal and appropriate safeguards.

Review reports must reflect the reviewer's own expertise, independent analysis, and judgment. AI-generated reports must not replace substantive human evaluation. Limited assistance with non-confidential tasks, such as improving the wording of a review report, may be used only when confidentiality is maintained, and such use must be disclosed to the handling editor.

Reviewers remain responsible for the content of their recommendations. The journal may decline review reports produced through inappropriate AI use or in violation of confidentiality obligations.

e-Saintika | Section 08

8. Editorial Use of AI

Editors and editorial staff may use suitable tools to assist with administrative or technical tasks, such as checking formatting, supporting language editing, or identifying issues that require human assessment, provided that confidentiality, data protection, and scholarly integrity are preserved.

Confidential manuscripts and unpublished submission material must not be uploaded to external generative AI services without appropriate authorization and safeguards. Similarity-detection and other technical tools provide information for editorial consideration; they do not establish misconduct or determine publication outcomes by themselves.

AI systems must not make acceptance or rejection decisions on behalf of the journal. Editorial screening, peer-review evaluation, and final decisions remain the responsibility of qualified human editors.

e-Saintika | Section 09

9. Ethical Concerns and Consequences

Potential violations include undisclosed material AI use, fabricated or falsified data or references, misleading image manipulation, misrepresentation of AI-generated material as original research, and unauthorized disclosure of confidential manuscripts through AI systems.

Where concerns are identified, the editor will assess the available evidence, seek clarification from the individuals concerned when appropriate, and determine a response proportionate to the nature and seriousness of the issue. Depending on the findings and publication stage, actions may include requesting corrections or further documentation, requiring revision, rejecting a manuscript, issuing a post-publication notice, or retracting an article where justified.

Serious or unresolved matters may be referred to relevant institutions or authorities when warranted. The journal will consider applicable COPE guidance and its own Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement. An allegation or undisclosed use does not automatically establish misconduct; decisions must be evidence-based.

e-Saintika | Section 10

10. Policy Review and Further Guidance

This policy may be reviewed and updated in response to developments in AI technology, scholarly publishing practice, and research integrity guidance. Any changes should be communicated clearly through the journal's official website and reflected consistently in the Author Guidelines and manuscript template.

Related e-Saintika policies:

• Author Guidelines and Submission Requirements
• Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement
• Peer Review Process

External guidance:

• COPE: Authorship and AI Tools
• Elsevier: Generative AI Policies for Journals
• Committee on Publication Ethics: Guidance and Resources

These external materials are provided as guidance; e-Saintika remains responsible for defining and applying its own journal policies.