The Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools in Manuscript Preparation
Editorial Guidelines for International Journal of Research in E-learning (IJREL) (COPE-compliant)

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools—such as ChatGPT and other large-scale language models—in the preparation of scientific publications is growing rapidly across all fields of research. The journal International Journal of Research in E-learning (IJREL) recognizes this as a component of the contemporary academic ecosystem and addresses it in accordance with the principles of publication ethics defined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

COPE, working in conjunction with other international organizations—including the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) and the JAMA Network—unequivocally states that artificial intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors of scientific publications because they are unable to meet basic criteria of authorship, such as responsibility, accountability, and intellectual agency.

Disclosure, Responsibility, and Editorial Review

Disclosure of the use of AI tools for linguistic, stylistic, or structural editing does not constitute grounds for rejection of a manuscript and should not be considered academic misconduct. According to COPE guidelines, ethical concerns may only be raised when there are reasonable grounds to believe that authorship, originality, intellectual contribution, or scientific responsibility have been misrepresented.

The journal's editorial policy reflects the key principles of COPE:

1. a) AI tools may not be identified or credited as authors or co-authors of a publication;
2. b) transparency regarding the use of AI tools is required, including a brief description of their use (e.g., linguistic proofreading, stylistic editing, reorganization of text structure);
3. c) full responsibility for the content, substantive accuracy, originality, and integrity of the manuscript rests solely with the individual author(s).

Therefore, the fundamental ethical issue is not the use of AI-assisted tools per se, but the potential falsification of authorship or the transfer of intellectual responsibility to entities that cannot bear it.

Editorial Practice and AI Detection Tools

In accordance with COPE recommendations, International Journal of Research in E-learning (IJREL) does not base editorial or review decisions on the results of software used to detect AI-generated texts. Such tools are currently not considered sufficiently reliable to enable a clear distinction between a scholarly text edited with AI and a fully original text. Editorial review is therefore based on the principles of transparency, proportionality, and accountability, not on automated detection.

Author(s) are requested to include a brief statement explaining whether and how AI tools were used in the preparation of the submitted manuscript. This statement serves to ensure ethical transparency and does not negatively impact the course or outcome of the editorial or review process.

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Reference to COPE Guidelines
This policy is based on the official position of COPE:
Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE Council).
COPE Council. COPE position – Authorship and AI – English.
https://doi.org/10.24318/cCVRZBms
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