ECWCA Journal Policy on Artificial Intelligence*
The ECWCA Journal team has developed guidance for appropriate AI usage for submissions to the journal. The journal team will review and update the guidance as AI continues to develop and impact academic publishing.
The primary expectation for each submission is that the entire manuscript text is human-written by the named author(s) and all allowable instances of AI use are disclosed.
Allowable Use in Preparing Submissions
-
Potential authors may use AI for processing large data sets, coding webtexts, and editing sound and footage by using tools such as denoising, sound leveling, and color correction. Clearly disclosed use of AI for computational research will be permitted at the discretion of the editorial team.
-
After potential authors have written the submission themselves, they may use AI to identify and address specific mechanics, usage, and grammatical errors. AI and text generators that assist with grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, and clarity must be used with great caution as they may result in dramatically changed text and voice.
-
Potential authors may use AI for help with formatting citations. However, authors are responsible for confirming the accuracy of citations.
-
Citation managers (e.g, Zotero, Mendeley) that aid potential authors with developing accurate reference lists may be used without documentation.
-
AI use must be disclosed, and the disclosures will be included with published pieces. See section “Disclosing Allowable AI Use.”
-
Authors are fully responsible for the content of their manuscript, even those parts produced with support from an AI tool, and are thus liable for any breach of publication ethics. The journal reserves the right at any stage to not publish a manuscript if it is determined to have ethical issues, including but not limited to AI usage. For more information about author responsibility, see section “Responsibility of Author(s).”
Forbidden Use in Preparing Submissions
-
Other than the allowable uses referenced above, the use of Generative AI is prohibited for the preparation (e.g., reading and summarizing texts) and writing of manuscripts submitted to ECWCA Journal.
-
Potential authors may not have AI write any portion of the article or the article in full. They may not list AI as a co-author.
-
Potential authors may not use AI to generate graphs, diagrams, or images unless the subject of the research is the AI-generated product itself.
Responsibility of Author(s)
-
Although AI technologies may offer support, authorship requires ownership and responsibility. Potential authors are responsible for the integrity, accuracy, and originality of the work they submit to our journal. Authors are fully responsible for the content of their manuscript, even those parts produced by an AI tool, and are thus liable for any breach of publication ethics.The journal reserves the right at any stage to not publish a manuscript if it is determined to have ethical issues, including but not limited to AI usage.
-
Before using AI tools, potential authors should take inventory of any sensitive information present in their pieces. They must ensure AI usage complies with all IRB, institutional, ethical, and legal requirements. Sensitive material should never be shared with Large Language Models. Sensitive and restricted data may include identifying information of participants, data gathered on human subjects, and copyright protected writing.
-
Authors must not input reader reports or editorial decisions into generative AI platforms to create revision ideas, wording, or plans for any reason. In addition to providing authors with synthesized feedback from reviewers, the Mentoring Editors and the Editor at ECWCA Journal would be happy to meet with authors to discuss their plans for revisions.
Disclosing Allowable AI Use
If potential authors choose to use AI, they must disclose use where relevant within the article (e.g., as a tool for data analysis in methods) and have a summative “Acknowledgement of AI Use” statement at the end of their submission that:
-
Specifies which technology was used and when (ChatGPT, GPT-3, etc.)
-
Includes explicit descriptions of how the information was generated.
-
Identifies the prompts used.
-
Explains how the output was used in their work.
A framework for this statement is provided here from the University of Wisconsin Whitewater’s APA Guide:
I acknowledge the use of [AI tool] ([website URL]) to [describe task]. The prompts used include [list prompts]. The output from these prompts was used to [explain use].
In addition, authors must include a statement of responsibility for AI-produced material, like the example below (adapted from constellations’s “Submissions”):
The author/s has/have thoroughly reviewed and modified all AI-produced material, and assume/s full responsibility for the work.
Reviewer Policy on AI Use
Reviewers must not use AI tools to generate reviews. Do not paste any portion of manuscripts into text generators or other LLMs. Among concerns about author privacy and intellectual property, this can create potential copyright and confidentiality issues.
Editorial Team Statement on AI Use
The ECWCA Journal team will not use AI tools during any part of the journal publication process.