Generative AI policies

Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (hereinafter referred to as “AI tools”) have been increasingly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, providing substantial benefits while necessitating clear guidelines to ensure their responsible, ethical, and transparent use.

These policies are intended to promote transparency and provide guidance for authors, reviewers, and editors of Al-Aulad: Journal of Islamic Primary Education regarding the appropriate use of AI tools in scholarly publishing. The journal will continue to monitor developments in this field and periodically review and update these policies in response to evolving practices, technological advancements, and emerging standards.

For Authors

The Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in Manuscript Preparation: An Overview

Al-Aulad: Journal of Islamic Primary Education acknowledges that generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”), when used responsibly, can support researchers in improving work efficiency, obtaining relevant insights, and enhancing the overall quality of scholarly manuscripts.

The use of these technologies, including AI agents and deep research tools, can assist researchers in synthesizing complex literature, reviewing developments within a particular field or research topic, identifying research gaps, generating ideas, and improving manuscript organization, language, and readability. Authors submitting manuscripts to Al-Aulad: Journal of Islamic Primary Education may use AI tools to support these activities. However, such tools must not replace human critical thinking, subject-matter expertise, independent judgment, or scholarly evaluation.

The use of AI tools must remain under meaningful human supervision and control. Authors retain full responsibility and accountability for the content, accuracy, integrity, and originality of their manuscripts. This responsibility includes the following:

• Reviewing and verifying AI-generated content. Authors must carefully assess the accuracy, completeness, relevance, and impartiality of all AI-generated outputs. They must also verify the reliability of cited sources and references, as AI tools may produce inaccurate information or fabricated citations.
• Ensuring originality and intellectual contribution. Authors must thoroughly review, edit, and refine AI-assisted material to ensure that the submitted manuscript reflects their own scholarly contributions, critical analysis, interpretations, insights, and ideas.
• Disclosing the use of AI tools. Authors must ensure that the use of AI tools and other relevant sources is communicated clearly and transparently to readers. Authors are required to include an appropriate disclosure statement at the time of manuscript submission whenever AI tools have been used in the preparation of their manuscripts.
• Protecting data privacy and intellectual property. Authors must ensure that the use of AI tools complies with applicable requirements concerning data privacy, confidentiality, intellectual property, copyright, and other relevant rights. Before using any AI tool, authors should carefully review its terms of service, data-handling practices, and applicable privacy policies to prevent the unauthorized disclosure or misuse of sensitive information.

Responsible Use of AI Tools

Authors are responsible for ensuring that the AI tools they use comply with appropriate standards of data privacy, confidentiality, and responsible research practice. Before using any AI tool, authors should carefully review its terms of service and privacy policies to ensure that the information and materials they provide, including unpublished manuscripts and confidential research data, are adequately protected. Particular caution must be exercised when handling personally identifiable information and other sensitive data. Authors must also critically evaluate AI-generated outputs to identify factual inaccuracies, misleading information, and potential biases.

Furthermore, authors should ensure that the terms and conditions of any AI tool permit the use of submitted materials solely for purposes necessary to provide the intended service, without granting the provider additional rights over those materials. Such rights may include, but are not limited to, the use of submitted content to train or improve AI models without appropriate authorization. Authors must also verify that the terms governing the use of AI-generated outputs do not impose restrictions that could interfere with their intellectual property rights or impede the subsequent submission, dissemination, or publication of their manuscripts in Al-Aulad: Journal of Islamic Primary Education or other scholarly publications.

Disclosure of the Use of AI Tools

Authors must disclose the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the preparation of their manuscripts through a separate declaration included in the submitted manuscript. This declaration will be published as part of the article to promote transparency. Authors should clearly specify the AI tool or service used, the purpose of its use, and the extent of human review and supervision. Such disclosure helps maintain trust and transparency among authors, readers, reviewers, editors, and other scholarly contributors, while supporting compliance with the applicable terms and conditions of the AI tools used.

Exceptions to Disclosure Requirements

The use of AI tools solely for basic grammar, spelling, and punctuation checks does not require a formal declaration. However, if an AI tool is used to make substantive revisions to sentence structure, paragraph organization, or other significant aspects of the manuscript's content and presentation, its use must be disclosed.

Authors are also not required to declare the use of AI-powered features incorporated into specialized assistive technologies for individuals with disabilities, provided that these features are used exclusively to support accessibility.

When AI tools are employed as part of the research methodology rather than solely for manuscript preparation, their use must be described comprehensively in the Methods section, including their role and application in the research process.

Recommended Declaration Format

Authors are encouraged to use the following format when preparing their declaration:

Section Title: Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Manuscript Preparation Process

Statement: During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] for [PURPOSE OF USE]. Following the use of this tool/service, the author(s) carefully reviewed and revised the generated content as necessary and assume full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and final content of the published article.

Authorship and Accountability

Generative AI tools and AI-assisted technologies must not be listed as authors or co-authors of manuscripts, nor should they be cited as authors. Authorship entails responsibilities and scholarly contributions that can only be fulfilled by human researchers.

All authors are individually and collectively responsible for ensuring that any concerns regarding the accuracy, reliability, or integrity of their work are appropriately examined and resolved. Authors must also be able to review and approve the final version of the manuscript and consent to its submission to Al-Aulad: Journal of Islamic Primary Education.

Furthermore, authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts constitute original scholarly work, have not been published previously in violation of applicable publication policies, correctly identify all individuals who meet the criteria for authorship, and do not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of third parties. Authors are expected to comply with the journal's publication ethics policies and applicable standards of research integrity throughout the submission, review, and publication process.

The Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Tools in Figures, Images, and Artwork

The use of generative AI and AI-assisted tools to create figures, images, and artwork for Al-Aulad: Journal of Islamic Primary Education is permitted under specific conditions. Authors must ensure that all visual materials are accurate, ethically appropriate, and consistent with research integrity. The requirements differ according to the following categories.

1. Explanatory Images

Explanatory images illustrate concepts, processes, or relationships relevant to Islamic primary education, such as learning models, instructional flowcharts, Islamic character education frameworks, and curriculum integration diagrams for Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI) or elementary schools.

Authors may use AI tools to create such images under appropriate human supervision. Their use must be disclosed in each relevant image caption and in the manuscript's general AI declaration, including the tool's name, version, where available, and its specific role.

2. Research and Data Images

Research and data images present empirical findings and consist of two categories.

2.1. Data Visualizations

Data visualizations include graphs, charts, and other figures derived from research datasets, such as comparisons of students' learning outcomes, literacy and numeracy performance, or the effectiveness of instructional media.

AI tools must not be used to fabricate findings, invent or manipulate data, or misrepresent research results. AI-assisted visualizations must accurately reflect the underlying data and be generated through reproducible analytical, computational, or statistical procedures documented in the Methods section. Authors must report the tool or model name, version, and developer or manufacturer, where applicable, comply with relevant usage policies, and provide attribution when required. Original data, unprocessed images, and documentation of AI use may be requested for editorial assessment.

2.2. Primary Research Images

Primary research images include photographs of classroom activities, student work, learning interventions, and other observations collected directly during research in MI/SD settings.

AI tools must not be used to fabricate or manipulate these images in ways that misrepresent actual observations, participants, or research findings. Image adjustments must use established image-processing software and must not distort the underlying evidence. Authors must also protect children's privacy and obtain informed consent or parental/guardian permission where required.

Use of AI Tools in Research Design and Methodology

The use of AI tools as part of legitimate research methods is permitted, including AI-assisted reading assessment, speech recognition, computer vision, and predictive modeling in educational research. Such applications must be described in a reproducible manner in the Methods section, including the tool or model name, version, developer or manufacturer where applicable, purpose, data sources, and evaluation procedures. Authors must comply with research ethics, data protection requirements, and applicable tool policies.

Author Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all images submitted for publication. They must verify that the concepts presented are accurate and that the images reflect their own work and ideas. When using existing artwork or graphics, authors must provide appropriate attribution and obtain permission from the relevant rights holders before submission.

AI tools must not be used to generate images that reproduce or imitate existing copyrighted images, identifiable individuals, or third-party products and brands without appropriate authorization. The generation or imitation of an individual's voice or likeness without authorization is also prohibited.

For further guidance, authors should refer to the “Responsible Use of AI Tools” section of this policy.

For Reviewers

The Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Peer Review Process

Peer review is essential to maintaining the quality, credibility, and integrity of scholarly publishing. Al-Aulad: Journal of Islamic Primary Education is committed to upholding high standards of confidentiality, objectivity, and ethical conduct throughout the peer review process. Manuscripts submitted for review must be treated as confidential documents.

Reviewers must not upload submitted manuscripts or any part of them to AI tools without appropriate authorization, as doing so may compromise authors' confidentiality, intellectual property rights, and data privacy.

Reviewers remain fully responsible for the scientific evaluation, critical judgment, and conclusions presented in their review reports. AI tools must not replace independent scholarly assessment, particularly because AI-generated outputs may contain inaccuracies, omissions, or biases.

AI tools may be used only for supportive purposes, such as improving the language and structure of review reports or assisting with background literature searches, provided that manuscript confidentiality is protected and human oversight is maintained. Reviewers should use only private AI tools that provide adequate protection for confidential information and do not use submitted materials for unauthorized purposes.

Disclosure

Reviewers must disclose the use of AI tools in their review reports, specifying the tool used and the purpose of its use. Basic spelling and grammar checks do not require disclosure.

Suggested disclosure statement:

During the preparation of this review report, I used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] for [PURPOSE OF USE]. After using this tool/service, I reviewed and revised the content as necessary and take full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and final content of this review report.

For Editors

The Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Editorial Process

Editors play a crucial role in maintaining the quality, credibility, and reputation of Al-Aulad: Journal of Islamic Primary Education. Editorial evaluation and decision-making require human judgment, professional expertise, and accountability. All manuscripts under editorial consideration must be treated as confidential documents.

Editors must not upload submitted manuscripts or any part thereof to AI tools without appropriate authorization, as this may compromise authors' confidentiality, intellectual property rights, and data privacy.

Editors retain full responsibility for manuscript evaluation, editorial decisions, and communication with authors. AI tools must not replace editors' critical thinking, independent assessment, or final decision-making authority.

AI tools may be used solely for supportive purposes, such as improving the language and structure of editorial decision letters or assisting with background literature searches, provided that confidentiality is protected and appropriate human oversight is maintained. Editors should use only AI tools that provide adequate safeguards for confidential information and prevent its unauthorized use.

The journal will inform authors, through its Guide for Authors and relevant editorial communications, that AI tools may be used in a limited supportive capacity during the editorial process, subject to the journal's confidentiality and ethical standards.