Use of Generative AI

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Use Policy

Research Journal on Teacher Professional Development

A. Introduction

The Research Journal on Teacher Professional Development recognizes that the rapid advancement of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technologies, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, and similar platforms, presents both opportunities and challenges in academic publishing. Therefore, this journal establishes the following policy to ensure academic integrity, scientific transparency, originality, and ethical publication practices.

This policy applies to all authors, editors, reviewers, and parties involved in the publication process of this journal.

B. Permitted Uses of GenAI

Authors may use GenAI tools in a limited, responsible, and transparent manner for the following purposes:

1. Language and Writing Assistance

GenAI may be used to:

  • improve grammar and spelling,
  • enhance academic readability,
  • assist with paraphrasing,
  • improve sentence clarity and structure,
  • support academic translation.

2. Technical Research Assistance

GenAI may be used to:

  • assist with programming or coding tasks,
  • support technical data analysis,
  • help develop research instruments,
  • assist in simple data visualization,
  • provide suggestions for manuscript organization.

3. Academic Brainstorming

Authors may use GenAI for:

  • exploring research ideas,
  • developing preliminary conceptual frameworks,
  • identifying potential research topics,
  • refining research questions.

4. Educational and Research Purposes

Given the journal’s focus on teacher professional development, the use of GenAI as a research object, educational tool, pedagogical innovation, or instructional medium is permitted, provided that it is clearly explained within the manuscript methodology and ethical considerations.

C. Prohibited Uses of GenAI

1. GenAI as an Author

GenAI tools cannot be listed as:

  • authors,
  • co-authors,
  • or official scholarly contributors.

Only human authors can take responsibility for the integrity and accountability of scholarly work.

2. Fabrication of Data or Findings

Authors are strictly prohibited from using GenAI to:

  • generate fake research data,
  • fabricate interview responses,
  • create fictional participant quotations,
  • manipulate research findings,
  • falsify tables, graphs, or statistical results.

3. Fabrication of References

Authors must not include references, citations, DOIs, or bibliographic sources generated by GenAI without verification from the original source.

4. Plagiarism and Ghostwriting

It is prohibited to use GenAI to:

  • generate entire manuscripts without substantial human intellectual contribution,
  • disguise plagiarism,
  • engage in paper mill practices,
  • mass-produce low-quality or non-authentic scholarly manuscripts.

5. Manipulation of the Peer Review Process

Authors and reviewers are prohibited from using GenAI to:

  • create fake reviewer identities,
  • generate fraudulent peer review reports,
  • manipulate editorial decisions,
  • compromise the independence and integrity of the review process.

6. Research Ethics Violations

GenAI must not be used to:

  • alter the meaning of research data,
  • manipulate interview transcripts,
  • omit contradictory findings dishonestly,
  • generate unsupported interpretations inconsistent with actual findings.

D. Author Responsibilities

Authors remain fully responsible for:

  • the accuracy of the manuscript,
  • the validity of data and findings,
  • the originality of the work,
  • compliance with research ethics,
  • and all content generated with the assistance of GenAI tools.

The use of GenAI does not transfer or reduce the authors’ academic responsibility.

E. Editorial and Reviewer Responsibilities

Editors and reviewers reserve the right to:

  • request clarification regarding GenAI use,
  • require revisions when GenAI usage is insufficiently disclosed,
  • reject manuscripts that violate this policy,
  • use plagiarism and AI-detection tools to maintain publication integrity.

F. Violations and Sanctions

If violations of this policy are identified, the journal reserves the right to:

  • reject the manuscript,
  • terminate the review or publication process,
  • retract published articles,
  • publicly announce publication ethics violations,
  • temporarily prohibit future submissions from the author(s).

G. Final Statement

This policy is intended to ensure that the use of GenAI in scholarly publishing supports academic innovation without compromising integrity, honesty, originality, and research quality. The journal supports the ethical, transparent, and responsible use of emerging technologies in advancing teacher professional development and 21st-century education research.