AI Ethics & Procedure
AI Ethics & Procedure
Ethical and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence and AI-assisted technologies in scholarly publishing.
Journal of Management, Economics, and Accounting Research (JoMEAR) recognizes that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies can support academic writing, language improvement, data processing, research assistance, and other scholarly activities. However, the use of AI must comply with principles of academic integrity, transparency, accountability, originality, and responsible research conduct.
1. General Principles
JoMEAR permits the responsible use of AI-assisted tools when their use does not compromise the originality, accuracy, integrity, confidentiality, or accountability of scholarly work.
- Authors remain fully responsible for the content and integrity of their manuscripts.
- AI tools must not be presented as authors or co-authors.
- AI-generated content must be critically reviewed and verified by the authors.
- Authors must ensure that references, quotations, facts, data, and interpretations are accurate.
- AI must not be used to fabricate, falsify, manipulate, or misrepresent research findings.
- Confidential manuscript, reviewer, research, or personal information must not be submitted to AI systems where doing so would violate confidentiality or applicable policies.
2. Permitted Use of AI
AI-assisted technologies may be used for legitimate supporting purposes, including:
Language Assistance
Grammar checking, spelling correction, translation assistance, and improvement of language clarity.
Writing Support
Assistance with improving sentence structure, readability, or organization of text, provided that authors critically review the result.
Research Assistance
Assistance with brainstorming, coding support, data organization, or other research-support activities, subject to appropriate verification.
Formatting Support
Assistance with formatting, summarization, or preparation of non-substantive elements of a manuscript.
3. Prohibited or Unethical Use
AI must not be used to:
- Generate fabricated or falsified research data, results, images, or evidence.
- Invent references, citations, DOI information, sources, or bibliographic records.
- Misrepresent AI-generated material as entirely original human-authored work.
- Generate misleading or unsupported scientific claims.
- Manipulate images, data, statistical results, or research findings in a deceptive manner.
- Produce plagiarism or disguise copied material as original work.
- Submit confidential peer-review or editorial materials to an AI system without authorization.
- Replace the author's scholarly judgment, responsibility, or accountability.
4. AI Disclosure by Authors
Authors should transparently disclose the use of AI-assisted technologies when AI has contributed substantively to the preparation or development of the manuscript. The disclosure should identify the AI tool and describe its role.
Recommended Disclosure Statement
"During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used [name of AI tool] for [describe the purpose, e.g., language editing, grammar checking, or organizational assistance]. The authors reviewed and edited the output and take full responsibility for the content of the published work."
Routine spelling, grammar, or language assistance may not require a detailed disclosure where the use is purely editorial and does not materially contribute to the intellectual content of the manuscript. Authors should nevertheless follow the requirements of the relevant journal and publisher policies.
5. AI and Authorship
AI systems cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of manuscripts submitted to JoMEAR. Authorship requires human responsibility for the scholarly work, including accountability for the research, interpretation, and final published content.
6. Verification and Accuracy
Authors are responsible for carefully verifying all AI-assisted output before submission. Particular attention must be given to:
- Accuracy of factual statements;
- Validity and completeness of references;
- Correctness of quotations and citations;
- Research data and statistical information;
- Interpretation of findings;
- Originality and potential plagiarism;
- Potential bias or misleading statements.
AI systems can produce inaccurate, incomplete, biased, or fabricated information. Therefore, AI output must never be accepted without appropriate scholarly verification.
7. AI in Research Data and Analysis
Authors may use AI-assisted tools as part of research workflows where scientifically appropriate. However, authors must maintain methodological transparency and ensure that the use of AI does not compromise the validity or reproducibility of the research.
Where AI materially contributes to data processing, coding, analysis, modeling, interpretation, or other research procedures, authors should describe the relevant use in the manuscript's methodology or another appropriate section.
8. AI, Peer Review, and Editorial Confidentiality
Editors and reviewers must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and unpublished research. Manuscript content, reviewer reports, editorial correspondence, and other confidential materials must not be uploaded to public or unauthorized AI systems where confidentiality may be compromised.
Editors and reviewers remain responsible for their evaluations and must exercise independent scholarly judgment. AI tools must not replace the professional assessment required during peer review or editorial decision-making.
9. Editorial Assessment Procedure
Submission
The manuscript is submitted through the JoMEAR OJS system.
Initial Screening
The editorial team evaluates the manuscript for scope, originality, ethical compliance, and basic scholarly requirements.
AI Assessment
Where appropriate, the editorial team may assess potential inappropriate AI-generated or manipulated content.
Editorial Evaluation
Any concern is evaluated in context rather than relying solely on an automated AI-detection score.
Author Clarification
Where necessary, authors may be asked to clarify AI use, sources, methodology, or manuscript preparation.
Decision
Editorial action may include revision, further assessment, rejection, or other appropriate action depending on the circumstances.
10. AI Detection Tools
JoMEAR may use technological tools as part of editorial screening when appropriate. However, an AI-detection score alone is not considered conclusive evidence of misconduct.
11. Suspected Misuse of AI
If the editorial team identifies a potential ethical concern involving AI, JoMEAR may request an explanation or supporting information from the authors.
Depending on the seriousness of the concern, editorial action may include:
- Requesting clarification or disclosure;
- Requesting manuscript revision;
- Conducting additional editorial or peer-review assessment;
- Returning the manuscript to the authors;
- Rejecting the manuscript where ethical requirements are not satisfied;
- For published articles, issuing a correction, expression of concern, or retraction where appropriate.
12. Author Responsibility
Submission of a manuscript to JoMEAR constitutes an acknowledgment that the authors are responsible for ensuring that any use of AI-assisted technology complies with applicable ethical and scholarly standards.
Authors should retain appropriate records of substantive AI assistance where such records may be relevant to explaining the preparation or development of the work.
Commitment to Responsible AI
JoMEAR supports responsible innovation in scholarly communication while maintaining academic integrity, transparency, human accountability, and research quality. AI-assisted technologies may support scholarly work, but they do not replace the responsibility, judgment, and accountability of authors, reviewers, and editors.
