Permitted writing assistance: you may use AI to improve the expression and readability of text you wrote, with disclosure and your own careful checking. Disclosure does not make fabricated text, data or references acceptable.
Generative AI Author Policy
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Policy on the Use of Generative AI and AI-assisted Technologies
Authors may use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in manuscript writing only to improve the language and readability of their own text. Such use must be disclosed, identifying the tool and its purpose.
Authors must review the output and remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality and references in their submission. AI tools cannot be listed as authors or used to fabricate research data, findings or references.
Basic spelling, grammar, punctuation and reference-formatting checks do not require disclosure. Generative rewriting does require disclosure.
This writing policy does not prohibit AI as a research method. Where AI forms part of the research, its use must be clearly described in the methodology.
What This Means for Authors
Author responsibility: the research, reasoning and conclusions must be your own. Verify every fact and citation; a tool cannot take authorship or responsibility.
Basic tools: routine spelling, grammar, punctuation and reference-formatting checks need no declaration. If a tool rewrites or generates text beyond those checks — even a feature called "grammar" — disclose it.
AI in research: if AI is part of your study, explain its role and relevant details in the methodology. Research about AI and childhood is fully within scope.
How to Disclose
| Material | How to disclose |
|---|---|
| Abstract-only submission | Use the separate AI-use declaration on the submission form. It is not counted in, or added to, your abstract. |
| Full paper at submission | Use the form declaration and include the statement in your paper immediately before the References. |
| Revised abstract or later full paper | Include the declaration with the revised material using the update instructions in your email or Help & Support. A full paper also carries the statement before the References. |
| AI used as a research method | Describe it in your methodology; for an abstract-only submission, in the abstract's methods wording, which counts towards the abstract length. No full paper is needed for this. Disclose any writing assistance separately. |
Statement guide:
"The authors used [tool/service] to [describe the language/readability task]. They checked and edited the output and accept responsibility for the submitted content."A declaration can be corrected through the update process while the relevant window is open. Once a window has closed or an output is finalised, contact us; a declaration does not reopen a deadline or guarantee a change to published material.