Guidelines on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools in Manuscript Preparation

Posted on 2026-08-24

To promote transparency, accountability, research integrity, and ethical standards in scholarly publishing, the International Journal of Science Education and Teaching (IJSET) announces the following guidelines regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in research, manuscript preparation, and the creation or modification of visual materials.

1. Use of AI to Support Research and Manuscript Preparation

Authors may use AI tools to support research and manuscript preparation in an appropriate, responsible, and transparent manner. Examples of acceptable uses may include:

  • Checking spelling and grammar

  • Improving language clarity and readability

  • Assisting with reference formatting

  • Supporting preliminary data processing or analysis

  • Assisting with coding or programming tasks

  • Generating graphs or data visualizations based on legitimate research data

  • Extracting or organizing information from large documents

However, AI must not be used to fabricate research data, falsify or manipulate research findings, or replace the authors' scholarly analysis, interpretation, and academic judgment.

2. Use of AI for Creating or Modifying Images

IJSET encourages authors to avoid the use of AI-generated images, particularly for images representing research data, research findings, scientific evidence, or any visual material that may lead readers to believe that it represents actual observations, experiments, or research results.

If the use of AI to generate or modify an image is genuinely necessary, authors must clearly and transparently disclose:

  • The name of the AI tool used;

  • The nature and scope of its use; and

  • The specific parts or aspects of the image that were generated or modified using AI, where appropriate.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, appropriateness, integrity, and legal status of all AI-generated or AI-modified images, including compliance with applicable copyright and intellectual property requirements.

3. Authors' Responsibility

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, reliability, originality, and integrity of all data, analyses, conclusions, text, references, and visual materials presented in their manuscripts.

This responsibility cannot be transferred to an AI tool. Authors must carefully review and verify all AI-generated or AI-assisted content before incorporating it into a manuscript.

4. Disclosure of AI Use

If AI tools are used in the research process, manuscript preparation, or the creation or modification of visual materials, authors must disclose such use transparently in the Acknowledgements or Methods section, as appropriate.

The disclosure should include the name of the AI tool used, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Grammarly, or other relevant tools, together with a clear description of how the tool was used.

AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors, as authorship carries responsibilities that can only be fulfilled by human contributors. AI tools may, where appropriate, be acknowledged as tools used in the research or manuscript preparation process.

5. References and Accuracy of Information

Authors should cite only references that are relevant, necessary, reliable, and verifiable. All references must be carefully checked for their accuracy and existence before manuscript submission.

Particular attention should be given to avoiding fabricated or non-existent references ("fake citations"), which may result from the inappropriate or uncritical use of AI tools.

6. Ethics, Copyright, and Academic Integrity

Authors must not use AI to generate content, images, or data that infringe copyright, intellectual property rights, confidentiality, privacy, or the rights of other individuals.

Furthermore, AI must not be used to fabricate research data, falsify or manipulate research findings, engage in plagiarism, or generate content that may mislead readers.

IJSET supports the appropriate, transparent, and responsible use of AI technologies in research and scholarly communication. However, authors remain ultimately responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, ethical standards, and legal compliance of all content and materials presented in their manuscripts.

International Journal of Science Education and Teaching (IJSET)
Science Education Association (Thailand) (SEAT)