Disclosure on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Disclosure on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Curricula: Journal of Curriculum Development recognizes the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), including generative AI and AI-assisted technologies, in scholarly publishing. AI tools may assist authors in supporting technical processes, organizing content, and improving language clarity. However, their use must be carefully managed to uphold academic integrity, originality, transparency, accountability, confidentiality in peer review, as well as privacy, intellectual property, and other rights. This policy applies to authors, reviewers, editors, and editorial staff throughout the processes of manuscript preparation, peer review, and editorial handling. AI tools must not replace human critical thinking, scholarly judgment, or professional responsibility.

For this policy, AI tools refer to the use of artificial intelligence techniques, such as machine learning or natural language processing, to generate, analyze, translate, summarize, or modify textual, numerical, visual, or audio data in a scholarly context. These include, but are not limited to, generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, DeepSeek, and other large language models; writing and language tools such as Grammarly or DeepL; as well as AI-assisted tools for data analysis, coding, visualization, and literature discovery.

AI tools are strictly restricted in several areas. AI must not be used to generate entire manuscripts or substantial portions of original scholarly content in place of the authors’ own intellectual contribution. It must not be used to fabricate or manipulate data, results, or findings, nor to generate citations or references without verifying their existence and accuracy. AI must not be used in ways that constitute plagiarism or infringe upon copyright or third-party rights. Furthermore, the use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images, figures, or graphical content in submitted manuscripts is not permitted, except where such use forms part of the research methodology and is transparently described in a reproducible manner.

Authors are responsible for all content submitted to the journal, including any material generated or modified using AI tools. They must ensure the manuscript's accuracy, originality, and reliability, verify all references, eliminate bias and factual errors, and ensure proper citation and attribution of all sources. Authors must be able to explain their scholarly contributions and take full responsibility for any errors or ethical issues arising from AI-assisted work. AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors, as authorship implies accountability and responsibility that only humans can fulfill.

Authors must ensure that the use of AI tools complies with applicable terms and conditions, particularly regarding privacy, confidentiality, and intellectual property. Do not upload confidential, proprietary, or personally identifiable information to AI tools without appropriate safeguards. If AI tools are used beyond basic language assistance, authors must provide a clear disclosure in the manuscript, including the name of the tool, its version (if applicable), its provider, and a description of how it was used. Authors are encouraged to include a statement such as: “The authors used [tool name] for [purpose] during the preparation of this manuscript. All outputs were reviewed and verified by the authors, who take full responsibility for the content.”

Basic language assistance, such as grammar checking, spelling correction, and minor improvements to readability that do not alter the scholarly meaning, does not require disclosure. However, if AI tools are used for more substantive purposes, including rewriting, restructuring, summarizing text, translation beyond minor editing, supporting coding or data analysis, or assisting in literature exploration or idea generation, authors must disclose such use. Authors must critically review, verify, and validate all AI-assisted outputs to ensure accuracy, reliability, and academic integrity.

Peer review in Curricula: Journal of Curriculum Development is based on confidentiality and human judgment. Reviewers must not upload manuscripts, review reports, or any related content into AI tools, nor use generative AI to perform the scientific evaluation or generate review conclusions. Similarly, editors and editorial staff must treat all submitted materials and communications as confidential and must not use AI tools to assist in editorial decision-making. All editorial decisions remain the responsibility of human editors.

The journal may use screening tools, including similarity checks and AI-writing detection tools, to support editorial assessment. However, the journal uses such tools only as support, not as the sole basis for decision-making. If inappropriate or undisclosed use of AI is suspected, the journal may request clarification, revisions, or supporting information, reject the manuscript, or initiate further investigation. Failure to comply with this policy may result in rejection, retraction, or other corrective actions.

This policy will be periodically reviewed and updated in response to developments in AI technology and publishing standards. Authors, reviewers, and editors are encouraged to consult this policy before using AI tools and to contact the editorial office if clarification is needed.