Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy

The Davao Research Journal (DRJ) recognizes the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI)–assisted technologies in research, writing, editing, data analysis, and scholarly communication. The journal supports the responsible, transparent, and ethical use of AI tools in accordance with the principles of research integrity and the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

Use of AI by Authors

Authors may use AI-assisted tools (e.g., language editing, grammar checking, data organization, coding assistance, or literature support tools) to improve the clarity and quality of their manuscripts. However, authors remain fully responsible and accountable for:

• the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all submitted content;
• proper citation and attribution of sources;
• the validity of data, analyses, interpretations, and conclusions; and
• ensuring that AI-generated content does not contain plagiarism, fabricated information, manipulated citations, biased outputs, or copyright violations.

The use of AI tools must be disclosed transparently within the manuscript, typically in the Methods, Acknowledgments, or a dedicated AI Use Disclosure section, including the name of the tool and the purpose for which it was used.

Authorship and Accountability

AI tools or generative AI systems (e.g., chatbots or automated text generators) cannot be listed as authors or co-authors because they cannot assume responsibility, accountability, or intellectual ownership of scholarly work as required by authorship guidelines.

All listed authors must satisfy the journal’s authorship criteria and remain accountable for the integrity and accuracy of the manuscript.

Use of AI in Peer Review and Editorial Processes

Reviewers and editors must maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts and should not upload unpublished manuscripts, data, figures, or supplementary materials into public or unsecured AI platforms without appropriate authorization and safeguards.

Editors may use AI-assisted tools for administrative or technical support purposes (e.g., plagiarism screening, language checks, metadata verification), but editorial decisions will always remain under human oversight and professional judgment.

Research Integrity and Ethical Compliance

The journal does not permit the use of AI technologies for:

• fabrication or falsification of data, images, or results;
• generation of fraudulent peer reviews or reviewer identities;
• manipulation of citations or references;
• plagiarism or misrepresentation of authorship; or
• any practice that compromises research integrity or ethical publishing standards.

Suspected misuse of AI technologies may result in manuscript rejection, correction, retraction, or further editorial investigation in accordance with the journal’s publication ethics policies and internationally recognized ethical publishing guidelines.