Generative AI Policy

These policies are intended to ensure transparency and offer clear guidance for journal authors, reviewers, and editors. Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR) will regularly assess developments in this field and revise these policies in response to evolving practices, technological advancements, and emerging standards. 

JSR's Generative AI Policy is based on Elsevier's guidelines, with adaptations to reflect the specific needs and characteristics of sociology as an academic discipline.

FOR AUTHORS

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

Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR) acknowledges that AI technologies, when used responsibly, can enhance research efficiency, facilitate the rapid development of critical insights, and contribute to improved research outcomes.

AI-powered technologies, including AI agents and advanced research tools, are increasingly supporting researchers in synthesizing complex academic literature, exploring research fields or specific research questions, identifying gaps in existing studies, developing research ideas, and assisting with tasks such as organizing content and enhancing linguistic clarity and readability. Authors submitting manuscripts to Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR) may utilize these technologies to assist with such activities. Nevertheless, AI tools must not replace human critical reasoning, scholarly expertise, or independent evaluation.

The use of AI technologies must remain subject to appropriate human supervision and control. Authors retain full responsibility and accountability for the content of their scholarly work, including responsibility for:

1. Thoroughly examining and validating the accuracy, completeness, and objectivity of all AI-generated content, including verifying the reliability of cited sources, as AI-generated references may contain inaccuracies or be entirely fabricated.
2. Carefully revising and refining all AI-assisted material to ensure that the manuscript constitutes an authentic and original scholarly contribution, accurately reflecting the author's own analytical perspectives, interpretations, insights, and ideas.
3. Maintaining transparency regarding the use of all tools and sources, whether AI-based or otherwise, so that readers are clearly informed. Authors who use AI technologies must provide a disclosure statement when submitting their manuscripts.
4. Preparing manuscripts in a manner that protects data privacy, intellectual property, and other applicable rights, including reviewing the terms and conditions of any AI tools employed during manuscript preparation.

Responsible Use of AI Tools

Authors are required to carefully review the terms and conditions of any AI tools they employ to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of their data and submitted materials, including unpublished manuscripts, are adequately protected. Special attention must be given to safeguarding personally identifiable information. Authors are also responsible for verifying the factual accuracy of AI-generated content and identifying any potential biases.

Before using AI tools, authors must also examine the applicable terms and conditions to confirm that the rights granted to AI service providers are limited strictly to what is necessary to deliver the requested services. Authors must ensure that no additional rights over their submitted materials are transferred to AI providers, including, but not limited to, permission to use such materials for training AI systems. Furthermore, authors must verify that the terms governing AI-generated outputs do not introduce restrictions that could interfere with or limit the subsequent publication of their articles.

Disclosure

Authors who use AI tools during manuscript preparation must disclose their use in a separate AI declaration statement included in the manuscript at the time of submission. This declaration will be incorporated into the published article to promote transparency. Authors should clearly document the AI tools employed, specifying their names, the purposes for which they were used, and the degree of human oversight exercised throughout the process. Such disclosure strengthens transparency and trust among authors, readers, reviewers, editors, and other contributors while supporting compliance with the applicable terms of use of AI technologies.

Please note: The use of AI tools solely for routine grammar, spelling, and punctuation corrections does not require a declaration. Nevertheless, authors must disclose AI assistance when these technologies introduce substantial modifications to sentence structures or the organization of any portion of the text.

Authors are also exempt from disclosing AI tools or functionalities integrated into specialized disability-related assistive technologies, provided their use is exclusively intended to support accessibility.

When AI technologies are employed as part of the research process rather than for manuscript preparation, authors must provide a detailed explanation of their use in the Methods section.

Authors are encouraged to follow the declaration format below:

Title of section: Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in Manuscript Preparation

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

Authorship

AI tools and technologies must not be identified as authors or co-authors, nor should they be cited as authors of scholarly works. Authorship entails intellectual contributions, ethical obligations, and responsibilities that can only be fulfilled by human individuals.

Each author and co-author is responsible for ensuring that any concerns regarding the accuracy or integrity of the research are properly examined and addressed. Authorship also requires the capacity to review and approve the final version of the manuscript and explicitly consent to its submission for publication.

Furthermore, authors must ensure that their work is original, has not been previously published, appropriately acknowledges individuals who meet the criteria for authorship, and does not violate the intellectual property or other rights of third parties. Before submitting their manuscripts, authors are expected to familiarize themselves with the publication ethics policies established by Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR).

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

The application of AI technologies in producing figures, images, and other visual materials is permitted only under certain specified conditions.

Visual materials are generally classified into three categories, each subject to different requirements and limitations concerning the use of AI tools, as outlined below.

(1) Explanatory Images

Explanatory images are visual representations intended to clarify concepts, demonstrate processes, or illustrate relationships, including flowcharts, decision trees, timelines, and schematic conceptual diagrams.

Authors may employ AI-assisted technologies to facilitate the development of selected explanatory visual materials for publication, including flowcharts, decision trees, timelines, conceptual schematics, and diagrams illustrating experimental procedures or research workflows.

When AI technologies are utilized for these purposes, authors must adhere to the principles of responsible AI use, human supervision, transparency, disclosure, and authorship responsibilities established in the “Authorship” section of this policy.

Any use of AI tools in producing explanatory images must be explicitly acknowledged in the caption accompanying each relevant figure. This disclosure should identify the AI tool employed, its specific version, and the manner in which it contributed to the creation of the visual material. The same information must also be included in the article's general AI disclosure statement.

(2) Research and Data Images

Research and data images are visual materials used to present empirical evidence, research data, or findings in sociological studies. These materials are divided into two categories: (a) data visualizations, which represent information derived from underlying datasets through analytical, computational, or statistical procedures, including graphs, charts, sociograms, social network diagrams, and heatmaps; and (b) primary research images, which consist exclusively of authentic visual evidence collected directly through sociological research, including fieldwork photographs, ethnographic documentation, social interactions, community activities, cultural and religious practices, and other observational records. Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR) strictly prohibits the use of AI technologies to generate, modify, reconstruct, or manipulate primary research images.

2a) Data Visualizations

Data visualizations are graphical representations of research findings produced from underlying datasets using analytical, computational, or statistical procedures, including plots, charts, graphs, and heatmaps.

AI technologies must not be employed to fabricate research findings, generate fictitious data, manipulate original datasets, or produce visual representations that do not accurately correspond to the underlying data and methodological procedures used in the study.

Authors may utilize AI-assisted technologies to develop data visualizations, provided that the resulting figures are directly and accurately generated from the original research data. These visualizations must be produced through reproducible analytical, computational, or statistical procedures, with the relevant methods clearly documented in the Methods section.

When AI tools contribute to the production of data visualizations, authors are required to identify the model or tool, its version, and the developer or manufacturer in the Methods section. Authors must also comply with the applicable terms of use and provide appropriate attribution whenever required. For editorial verification, Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR) may request supporting documentation concerning the use of AI technologies, along with the original, unprocessed images.

Use of AI Tools in Research Methods

Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR) permits the limited use of AI-assisted technologies in literature-based research methods, including literature reviews, systematic literature reviews (SLR), scoping reviews, and other forms of systematic evidence synthesis. AI-powered research tools, such as Consensus, Scopus AI, Elicit, ResearchRabbit, and similar platforms, may be used exclusively to support technical procedures, including literature searching, identification, screening, organization, and mapping of relevant scholarly publications. JSR strictly prohibits the use of AI technologies to conduct analysis, critical evaluation, theoretical synthesis, or sociological interpretation of findings derived from literature reviews. These intellectual and analytical activities must be performed independently by human researchers to ensure scholarly originality, critical reasoning, theoretical rigor, and the integrity of sociological knowledge production.

Similarly, in empirical sociological research involving qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approaches, Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR) allows the use of AI-assisted technologies strictly for technical and procedural purposes. Authors may use AI-assisted features integrated into qualitative data analysis software, such as NVivo, ATLAS.ti, and MAXQDA, as well as generative AI tools, including ChatGPT, Gemini, and similar technologies, solely for permitted technical tasks, such as data organization, classification, transcription, and preliminary coding. The use of AI technologies must remain limited to technical assistance and must not replace the intellectual, analytical, or interpretive responsibilities of human researchers.

JSR strictly prohibits the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies to conduct sociological analysis, interpret empirical findings, perform textual or discourse analysis, develop theoretical explanations, or formulate research arguments and conclusions. These activities must be undertaken independently by human researchers through critical engagement with empirical evidence, sociological theories, and the social contexts in which the research is situated. AI-generated interpretations, analytical narratives, or theoretical conclusions must not be presented as original scholarly contributions.

Authors who employ AI-assisted technologies for permitted technical procedures must explicitly disclose their use in the Methods section. This disclosure must identify the name of the software or AI tool, its version, the developer or provider, the specific functions performed, and the procedures through which the technology supported data processing or coding. Authors must clearly distinguish between AI-assisted technical procedures and the independent analytical and interpretive activities conducted by the researchers. The use of qualitative data analysis software, such as NVivo, ATLAS.ti, or MAXQDA, does not automatically constitute AI use; AI disclosure is specifically required when AI-enabled features are utilized.

Furthermore, JSR strictly prohibits the use of AI technologies to fabricate, generate, reconstruct, manipulate, or falsify primary empirical data, including interview transcripts, fieldnotes, observation records, survey responses, ethnographic documentation, and research images. Authors remain fully accountable for the authenticity of their data, the transparency of their methodological procedures, and the originality of their sociological analyses and interpretations. All permitted uses of AI-assisted technologies must comply with applicable research ethics standards, including informed consent, participant confidentiality, data privacy, and intellectual property protection.

3) Graphical Abstracts and Cover Art

Graphical abstracts and cover art are visual materials intended to summarize or illustrate the themes, concepts, methodologies, and findings of sociological research rather than constitute primary empirical evidence or independent scientific analysis. In qualitative sociological studies, graphical abstracts may include conceptual diagrams illustrating relationships between social structures and individual agency, models of social change, or schematic representations of religion, culture, identity, and social institutions. In quantitative sociological research, they may include conceptual frameworks illustrating relationships between independent and dependent variables, mediation and moderation models, path diagrams, structural equation models, and visual summaries of statistical findings.

Cover art, in contrast, may feature artistic or symbolic representations of sociological phenomena, including social inequality, cultural diversity, religious practices, community interactions, and social transformation.

The use of general-purpose generative AI image tools to create graphical abstracts is strictly prohibited. These visual summaries frequently combine conceptual frameworks, graphical elements, symbols, icons, and other design components that must accurately represent the authors' original research and scholarly contributions.

Authors are encouraged to use specialized scientific illustration and graphic design software when preparing graphical abstracts. Such tools should provide clear licensing conditions to support the responsible use of copyrighted materials and the protection of intellectual property rights.

Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR) does not provide individual cover art for published articles. Cover artwork is produced exclusively for each journal issue and is designed by JSR's technical team using graphic design software.

Author responsibilities

Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and originality of all images submitted for publication. This includes verifying that the concepts presented are accurate and that all images reflect the author’s own work and ideas. Where images are based on existing artwork or graphics, appropriate attribution must be provided and permission from any relevant rights holder must be obtained before submission. Images that duplicate or refer to existing copyrighted images, real people, or others’ identifiable products or brands must not be generated, nor any likeness of an individual’s voice.

For further information please refer to the section on “Responsible use of AI tools” above.

 

FOR REVIEWERS

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

Peer review is a fundamental component of scholarly publishing, and Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, confidentiality, and ethical responsibility throughout the review process. When reviewers are invited to evaluate manuscripts submitted by other researchers, they are required to treat all submitted materials as strictly confidential documents.

Reviewers are strictly prohibited from uploading submitted manuscripts, whether in full or in part, to generative AI platforms or AI-assisted tools. Such practices may compromise the confidentiality of unpublished research, infringe upon authors' intellectual property rights, and potentially violate data protection regulations, particularly when manuscripts contain personally identifiable or sensitive information.

Reviewers bear full responsibility for independently evaluating the scholarly quality, methodological rigor, theoretical contributions, and sociological relevance of the manuscripts assigned to them. AI technologies must not be used to conduct substantive manuscript evaluations, formulate critical assessments, interpret research findings, or generate peer review recommendations. These responsibilities require independent scholarly judgment, critical reasoning, and disciplinary expertise that must be exercised by human reviewers. Reviewers remain entirely accountable for the accuracy, integrity, and content of their evaluation reports.

AI-assisted technologies may be employed solely for limited supporting purposes, such as improving the grammar, clarity, and organization of review reports or facilitating background literature searches, provided that manuscript confidentiality is fully preserved and appropriate human oversight is maintained. Reviewers must ensure that no confidential manuscript content, unpublished research data, or identifiable information is disclosed to AI platforms during these activities.

Furthermore, reviewers may only use private AI tools that provide adequate safeguards for data confidentiality and intellectual property protection, as further specified in the following section.

Disclosure of AI Use

Reviewers are required to declare any use of AI-assisted technologies during the preparation of their peer review reports, specifying the name of the tool or service employed and the purpose for which it was used. This disclosure must be entered in the “For Editor” section of the Open Journal Systems (OJS) platform when reviewers submit their completed review reports. The use of AI tools exclusively for routine spelling and grammar corrections does not require disclosure.

Reviewers are encouraged to use the following disclosure statement:

During the preparation of this review report, I used [NAME OF AI TOOL/SERVICE] for [SPECIFIC PURPOSE]. Following its use, I carefully reviewed and revised the content where necessary and accept full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and content of this report.

What Constitutes a Private AI Tool?

A private AI tool refers to a version of an artificial intelligence system designed to prevent the retention, reuse, distribution, or learning of information submitted by its users. Any content entered or uploaded into such a system must not be stored beyond the period necessary to deliver the requested service, used to train or enhance AI models, or disclosed to external parties.

Before Using Any AI Tool, Reviewers Should Verify the Following:

• Examine the privacy policy and terms of service. Pay particular attention to provisions concerning data storage, retention periods, and AI model training. A private AI tool should explicitly confirm that user-submitted information is retained only for the duration necessary to provide the service and is excluded from AI model training processes. Reviewers must also ensure that the tool's licensing and usage conditions grant the necessary rights for publication.
• Prioritize paid or enterprise-level services over freely accessible tools. Many free AI platforms do not provide privacy protection by default. Reviewers are encouraged to determine whether their institutions offer access to enterprise AI services or locally hosted AI models. Although these options may provide stronger confidentiality and data protection safeguards, their privacy provisions must still be independently examined and verified.

 

FOR EDITORS

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

Academic editors have a fundamental responsibility to maintain the scholarly standards, disciplinary focus, credibility, and reputation of Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR). Editorial evaluation and decision-making involve intellectual, ethical, and professional responsibilities that must remain under human authority.

All manuscripts undergoing editorial assessment must be handled as confidential scholarly documents.

Editors are strictly prohibited from uploading submitted manuscripts, either in full or in part, to AI platforms or AI-assisted technologies. Such actions may compromise the confidentiality of unpublished research, infringe upon authors' intellectual property rights, and potentially violate data protection regulations, particularly when manuscripts contain personally identifiable or sensitive information.

Editors retain full responsibility for evaluating submissions, assessing their relevance to the journal's aims and scope, considering peer review reports, and determining editorial outcomes. AI technologies must not replace editors' independent scholarly judgment, critical evaluation, or final publication decisions. Editors remain fully accountable for the integrity of the editorial process, the decisions reached, and the communication of those decisions to authors.

AI-assisted technologies may be used only for limited supporting activities, such as improving the language, clarity, and organization of editorial decision letters or facilitating background literature searches, provided that manuscript confidentiality is preserved and appropriate human supervision is maintained.

Editors must use only private AI tools that meet the confidentiality, intellectual property, and data protection requirements outlined in the preceding section. JSR will communicate its policies regarding the permitted use of AI-assisted technologies in editorial procedures through its Author Guidelines and relevant editorial correspondence.

Use of AI-Assisted Technologies in the Publication Process at Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR)

Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR) recognizes that AI-assisted technologies may support selected administrative, technical, and editorial activities throughout the scholarly publication process, provided that their use complies with the journal's publication ethics, confidentiality requirements, and principles of responsible AI use.

Within these boundaries, AI-assisted technologies may be employed for the following purposes:

• Editorial administration: Supporting the identification of potential reviewers, preliminary assessment of manuscript relevance to the journal's aims and scope, and identification of possible duplicate submissions, subject to independent editorial verification.
• Author guidance: Assisting authors in identifying relevant publication requirements, understanding submission guidelines, and preparing manuscripts in accordance with the journal's technical and formatting standards.
• Technical manuscript screening: Supporting preliminary checks of manuscript completeness, formatting consistency, adherence to submission requirements, and other administrative criteria.
• Research integrity screening: Assisting with preliminary identification of potential inconsistencies or concerns relating to publication ethics, subject to further examination and verification by the editorial team.
• Post-acceptance publication procedures: Supporting technical activities such as proofreading, language editing, copyediting, formatting, and identifying typographical or editorial inconsistencies in accepted manuscripts.

The use of AI-assisted technologies in these activities must not replace human editorial assessment, independent scholarly evaluation, or final publication decisions. All substantive editorial judgments, including decisions concerning manuscript acceptance, revision, or rejection, remain exclusively the responsibility of JSR's authorized editors.

JSR is committed to maintaining human oversight, transparency, accountability, and research integrity throughout its editorial and publication procedures. Any AI-assisted technology used in these processes must be subject to appropriate verification of accuracy, potential bias, confidentiality safeguards, and compliance with applicable data privacy and security requirements.

The application of AI-assisted technologies may vary according to the specific editorial or publication activity. Authors, reviewers, and other contributors seeking clarification regarding these policies may contact the editorial team of Jurnal Sosiologi Reflektif (JSR).