Plagiarism & AI Policy

1. Purpose and Principles

SIARE expects all submissions to reflect honest scholarship, proper credit, accurate reporting, and responsible use of technology. We do not permit plagiarism, duplicate publication, data or image falsification, deceptive authorship practices, or undisclosed misuse of AI tools. These expectations are consistent with current COPE and major publisher guidance emphasizing transparency, accountability, and human oversight.

2. What Counts as Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes presenting another person’s words, ideas, structure, analysis, figures, tables, images, code, or data as one’s own without appropriate acknowledgment. It may occur in direct copying, close paraphrasing, mosaic reuse, unattributed translation, or uncredited adaptation.

• Copying text without quotation or citation
• Paraphrasing too closely without attribution
• Reusing figures, tables, or images without permission or credit
• Presenting others’ ideas, methods, or data as original
• Submitting translated or adapted content without disclosure and citation

3. Text Recycling and Duplicate Publication

Authors must not submit the same or substantially similar manuscript to more than one journal, proceeding, or publisher at the same time. Redundant publication, duplicate publication, and excessive text recycling are not acceptable unless clearly justified, transparently disclosed, and editorially approved.

• Simultaneous submission is prohibited
• Duplicate or substantially overlapping publication is not allowed
• Prior conference versions must be materially extended and disclosed
• Reused text must be limited, justified, and properly referenced

4. Similarity Screening

Submitted manuscripts may be checked using similarity-detection tools and editorial assessment. Similarity scores are interpreted carefully: a high score does not automatically prove misconduct, and a low score does not automatically confirm originality. Editorial review considers the nature, location, and significance of overlapping material.

• Reference lists, boilerplate methods, and properly quoted text may affect similarity reports
• Unattributed overlap in core sections may trigger editorial concern
• Authors may be asked to explain or revise overlapping material

5. Image, Figure, and Data Integrity

Authors must ensure that figures, images, tables, datasets, and reported results are authentic, accurately represented, and not misleading. Manipulation that changes the scientific meaning of an image or dataset is unacceptable.

• Images must not be deceptively altered
• Figures and tables reused from other sources require permission where needed
• Data must not be fabricated, falsified, selectively hidden, or misrepresented
• Authors may be asked to provide underlying files or supporting data

6. General Position on AI Use

SIARE permits only responsible and transparent use of AI tools. AI may assist with limited tasks such as language improvement, formatting help, or idea organization, but it must not replace human scholarly judgment, authorship, accountability, or ethical responsibility. Major publisher and COPE guidance consistently states that AI tools cannot be authors because they cannot take responsibility for the work.

7. AI Authorship and Responsibility

AI tools, including generative AI systems and large language models, must not be listed as authors or co-authors. They cannot meet authorship criteria, approve the manuscript, accept legal responsibility, or take accountability for the integrity of the publication. Human authors remain fully responsible for originality, factual accuracy, permissions, citations, and compliance with all publication policies.

8. Permitted Uses of AI by Authors

Limited AI-assisted support may be acceptable when used responsibly and under human supervision. Examples may include language refinement, grammar support, outline assistance, or non-substantive drafting support, provided that authors critically review all output and ensure it is accurate, original, and suitable for scholarly publication. Wiley and Springer Nature both emphasize transparent disclosure and continued human accountability.

• Language editing or readability improvement under human review
• Formatting or structural assistance
• Limited brainstorming or drafting support with full author verification

9. Prohibited or High-Risk Uses of AI

The following uses are not acceptable or require especially strict caution:

• Listing AI as an author or co-author
• Using AI output without disclosure when the use is material
• Submitting AI-generated text, data interpretation, references, or claims without human verification
• Using fabricated or hallucinated citations, facts, quotations, or datasets
• Using AI to generate manipulated images, falsified results, or misleading content
• Using AI in ways that infringe copyright, confidentiality, or privacy

10. AI Disclosure Requirements for Authors

Authors must disclose any material use of AI tools in manuscript preparation. Disclosure should state which tool was used, for what purpose, and confirm that the authors reviewed and take full responsibility for the final content. Major publisher guidance stresses transparency and human oversight when AI is used. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

11. AI and Citations, Data, and References

Authors must independently verify all references, quotations, data points, formulas, legal statements, and factual claims appearing in a manuscript, regardless of whether AI tools were used. AI systems can generate inaccurate or fabricated content, including nonexistent references. Human authors are responsible for checking every substantive element before submission.

12. AI Use by Reviewers and Editors

Reviewers and editors must not upload confidential manuscripts or unpublished content into generative AI systems if doing so could compromise confidentiality, privacy, or copyright. Springer Nature explicitly asks peer reviewers not to upload manuscripts into generative AI tools, and Wiley notes that doing so can violate manuscript confidentiality and related rights. Limited use of AI to improve the spelling or clarity of a reviewer’s own report may be acceptable only if confidentiality is preserved and the human reviewer remains fully accountable.

13. Submission Declarations

By submitting to SIARE, authors confirm that:

• The manuscript is original and properly attributed
• The work is not under simultaneous consideration elsewhere
• All sources, reused materials, and prior related outputs have been disclosed
• Any material AI use has been transparently declared
• All authors accept full responsibility for the content

14. Editorial Action in Case of Concerns

If plagiarism, duplicate publication, undeclared AI use, fabricated references, manipulated images, falsified data, or other integrity concerns are suspected, SIARE may take one or more of the following actions:

• Request clarification, source files, or supporting documentation
• Return the submission for correction before review
• Reject the manuscript
• Pause review or editorial processing
• Escalate the matter for ethics review
• Issue post-publication correction, expression of concern, or retraction where necessary

15. Post-Publication Discovery

If plagiarism, undisclosed AI-generated content, fabricated references, or other integrity issues are discovered after publication, SIARE may correct, annotate, or retract the article in accordance with its post-publication and corrections policies. COPE resources highlight transparency and accountability when dealing with AI-related authorship and integrity concerns.