Updates to Publication Ethics, Generative AI Policy, and Peer Review Process
Epistemic: Scientific Thinking and Literacy has updated its Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement, Generative Artificial Intelligence Utilization Policy, and Peer Review Process to strengthen transparency, accountability, confidentiality, editorial independence, peer-review integrity, authorship responsibility, protection of the integrity of the scholarly record, and clarity of the editorial workflow from manuscript submission to publication. These updates include more detailed explanations of the responsibilities of Editors, Reviewers, authors, and the Epistemic Editorial Team; guidance on authorship disputes and authorship changes; procedures for complaints, appeals, allegations of publication ethics violations, Correction, Erratum, Corrigendum, Expression of Concern, manuscript withdrawal, article retraction, article removal, article replacement, post-publication changes; and clarification that administrative, review-related, technical, or production-related fees are regulated under Epistemic’s Publication Fees Policy and do not influence editorial decisions.
Epistemic has also updated the explanation of its Peer Review Process to be more detailed and comprehensive, including the six editorial stages: Submission, Initial Check, Peer Review, Final Check, Editing & Proofreading, and Publication; the implementation of a double-blind peer review system; assessment by at least two independent Reviewers; manuscript assessment criteria; confidentiality of the review process; management of conflicts of interest; and provisions regarding authors’ suggestions of potential Reviewers. In addition, Epistemic has clarified the responsible use of generative artificial intelligence or Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI), AI-assisted technologies, and language-assistance tools. Authors are required to disclose the use of such tools in the manuscript; AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors; and AI must not be used to replace scholarly judgment or to manipulate data, images, citations, or references. Reviewers and Editors may use AI only for limited supportive purposes while maintaining confidentiality, privacy, peer-review integrity, editorial independence, and human accountability.
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