EDITORIAL STANDARDS
Artificial
Intelligence
Transparent disclosure, human accountability, and protection of confidentiality in the use of AI-assisted technologies.
AI may assist Authors remain responsible
Bayrakol Medical Publishing recognizes that AI-assisted technologies — including large language models, chatbots, and generative image tools — may be used in scholarly work. Their use must be transparent, limited to roles that preserve scientific integrity, and fully accountable to human authors.
This policy follows the recommendations of ICMJE, COPE, and WAME, and is applied across journals published by Bayrakol Medical Publishing.
AUTHORSHIP
AI tools cannot
be authors
Artificial intelligence tools do not meet authorship criteria because they cannot take responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, or originality of the work, nor can they manage conflicts of interest, copyright, or licensing.
- AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors.
- AI tools must not be cited as authors.
- Human authors remain fully responsible for all submitted content, including any material produced with AI assistance.
DISCLOSURE
Declare AI use
at submission
Authors must disclose, at submission, whether AI-assisted technologies were used in the production of the manuscript, and must describe how they were used.
- State the tool name, version (where available), and the purpose for which it was used.
- Describe writing assistance in the Acknowledgments section, where applicable.
- Describe AI use in data collection, analysis, coding, or figure generation in the Methods (or equivalent) section.
- Include a corresponding disclosure in the cover letter when AI-assisted technologies were used.
Routine spelling, grammar, or reference-formatting tools that do not generate substantive scholarly content do not require disclosure, unless the journal specifically requests otherwise.
AUTHOR ACCOUNTABILITY
Review
Verify
Attribute
Authors must carefully review and edit all AI-assisted output. AI-generated content may be incorrect, incomplete, biased, or fabricated.
- Authors must ensure that the manuscript contains no plagiarism, including in text or images produced with AI assistance.
- All quoted material must include appropriate attribution and full citations.
- AI-generated material must not be cited as a primary source.
- Authors remain liable for any breach of publication ethics arising from AI-assisted content.
IMAGES, DATA & RESEARCH OUTPUTS
Integrity of the
scientific record
Generative tools must not be used in ways that misrepresent research findings or create fabricated scholarly evidence.
- AI-generated or AI-altered images, figures, or data that fabricate or falsify research results are prohibited.
- Where AI tools are used to assist image processing, analysis, or visualization, the method must be described with sufficient detail for editorial assessment.
- Authors must retain documentation sufficient to verify the integrity of AI-assisted analyses or images upon reasonable editorial request.
PEER REVIEW & EDITORIAL USE
Confidentiality
comes first
Manuscripts under review are confidential. Reviewers and editors must not upload unpublished manuscripts, reviews, or related materials to public or third-party AI tools in a manner that compromises confidentiality or proprietary rights.
- Reviewers must not use AI tools to generate peer-review reports unless explicitly authorized by the journal and disclosed to the editor.
- Any permitted editorial use of AI must preserve confidentiality, editorial independence, and human responsibility for decisions.
- Editorial decisions remain the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief and the journal’s editorial team.
NONCOMPLIANCE
Undisclosed AI use
may require action
Failure to disclose the use of AI-assisted technologies, or misuse of such tools in ways that compromise originality, integrity, or confidentiality, may result in editorial action. Depending on the circumstances, this may include manuscript rejection, correction, expression of concern, retraction, or notification of relevant institutions.
Allegations are assessed confidentially and handled in accordance with established publication ethics procedures and applicable COPE guidance.