Artificial Intelegent (AI) Policy

Editorial Policies

The Journal of Rural and Tropical Nursing (JRTN) recognises that AI tools may be used during manuscript preparation. Authors and reviewers must follow the requirements below. AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

AI Cannot Be an Author

AI tools and large language models (LLMs) — including tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and similar systems — cannot be listed as authors on manuscripts submitted to JRTN. Authorship requires the ability to accept accountability for the work (ICMJE Criterion 4), which AI systems cannot do. Listing an AI tool as an author is grounds for rejection or retraction.

Author Disclosure Requirements

Authors who used AI tools in any part of manuscript preparation must disclose this.

Disclose all AI use: if any AI or LLM tool was used during manuscript writing, editing, translation, figure preparation, data analysis, or literature searching, this must be disclosed on the Title Page and in the manuscript's Declarations section.

Identify the tool and purpose: the disclosure statement must name the specific tool used and briefly describe the purpose for which it was used (e.g., grammar checking, paraphrasing, translation, or image generation).

Authors are responsible: the use of an AI tool does not transfer responsibility for the content. Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of all content in the manuscript, including content generated or refined with AI assistance.

Verify AI-generated content: authors must verify all AI-generated text, references, and data against primary sources before including them in the manuscript.

No disclosure needed for spell-checking and grammar tools

Standard spell-checking and grammar-correction tools (such as those built into word-processing software) do not require a disclosure statement. Disclosure is required when generative AI is used to produce, substantially rewrite, or translate text, or to assist with analysis or visual content.

Reviewers and AI Tools

Confidentiality obligation Manuscript content submitted to JRTN is confidential. Reviewers must not enter any part of a manuscript into an external AI service. Most generative AI tools process submitted content on external servers and may retain it.
Disclosure If an AI tool was used to assist with any aspect of the review (for example, to help structure comments or check language), the reviewer must disclose this in the review form.
Reviewer responsibility The intellectual assessment of the manuscript, the recommendation, and the written comments remain the reviewer's own responsibility. AI tools must not substitute for the reviewer's independent scholarly judgement.