BioScientifica AI Guidelines
Last updated: March 30, 2026
Check AI policies for below classifications
Refinement, correction, editing or formatting the manuscript to improve clarity of language
Policy Summary
BioScientifica permits authors to use AI writing tools (including ChatGPT) to improve a manuscript’s language and readability. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of their work, including any information produced by an AI tool and for correctly referencing any supporting work. If an AI writing tool is used, authors must state this in the Materials and methods section of the paper.
Evidence
- The use of AI writing tools, such as ChatGPT, is permitted to improve the language and readability of a paper. Authors are responsible for the accuracy of their work, including all information produced by an AI tool and for correctly referencing any supporting work on which that content is based. If you have used an AI writing tool, please state this in the Materials and methods section of your paper.
AI Status
Writing or drafting manuscript content
Policy Summary
BioScientifica states that the use of AI-generated text is not permitted in any section of a manuscript unless it is part of the formal methodology of the research. Authors should only use AI tools to improve the readability and language of their work, not to draft new content. They should not be used to replace key researcher tasks such as producing scientific insights, analysing and interpreting data, or drawing scientific conclusions. Any use of an LLM or AI technology should be described in detail within the Materials and Methods section of the article.
Evidence
- Authors should only use AI tools to improve the readability and language of their work. They should not be used to replace key researcher tasks such as producing scientific insights, analysing and interpreting data or drawing scientific conclusions. The use of AI-generated text is not permitted in any section of a manuscript unless it is part of the formal methodology of the research (for example, in computational linguistics). Use of AI must be declared in the Materials and Methods section (or equivalent).
AI Status
Translation of manuscript text for the purpose of publishing
Policy Summary
The publisher does not provide explicit guidance on using AI specifically for translation of manuscript text for publishing purposes.
Evidence
- not defined
Source
Refining or formatting of data reported in the manuscript
Policy Summary
BioScientifica permits the use of AI or AI-assisted tools for analysing data or drawing insights, provided this use is disclosed in the Methods section of the manuscript. Authors are fully responsible for the content of their manuscript, even those parts produced by an AI tool. The publisher does not provide explicit guidance on using AI specifically to refine or format data reported in the manuscript beyond this general disclosure and accountability requirement.
Evidence
- The use of AI or AI-assisted tools for analysing data or drawing insights should be disclosed in the Methods section. Authors are fully responsible for the content of their article, including material produced by an AI or AI-assisted tool.
AI Status
Generation, refinement, correction, editing or formatting of images, diagrams or other figures for illustrative purposes only
Policy Summary
BioScientifica explicitly prohibits AI-generative tools from being used to create images in submitted manuscripts, except when it is an integral part of the research design or methodology. In such research-methodology cases, a detailed description of the altered or generated content, an explanation of the AI tool's role, and the model, tool, version, and manufacturer must be provided in the Materials and Methods section. Any failure to disclose the use of these tools will be considered research misconduct and will result in immediate retraction of the article.
Evidence
- Currently, there are unique legal challenges to AI-generated images related to copyright and research integrity. AI-generative tools should also not be used to create images in submitted manuscripts, except when it is an integral part of the research design or methodology. In such cases a detailed description of the altered or generated content, an explanation of the AI or AI-assisted tool's role in the process, and information about the model, tool, version, and manufacturer must be provided in the Materials and Methods section. Any failure to disclose the use of these tools will be considered research misconduct and will result in immediate retraction of the article.
Source
AI Status
Generation, refinement, correction, editing or formatting of visualisations of research data or results
Policy Summary
BioScientifica explicitly prohibits AI-generative tools from being used to create images in submitted manuscripts, including data visualisations, except when it is an integral part of the research design or methodology. In such research-methodology cases, a detailed description of the content, an explanation of the AI tool's role, and information about the model, tool, version, and manufacturer must be provided in the Materials and Methods section. Any failure to disclose the use of these tools will be considered research misconduct and will result in immediate retraction of the article.
Evidence
- Currently, there are unique legal challenges to AI-generated images related to copyright and research integrity. AI-generative tools should also not be used to create images in submitted manuscripts, except when it is an integral part of the research design or methodology. In such cases a detailed description of the altered or generated content, an explanation of the AI or AI-assisted tool's role in the process, and information about the model, tool, version, and manufacturer must be provided in the Materials and Methods section. Any failure to disclose the use of these tools will be considered research misconduct and will result in immediate retraction of the article.
Source
AI Status
Refinement or formatting of code reported in the submitted manuscript
Policy Summary
Authors must disclose any use of AI or AI-assisted technologies, including LLMs and chatbots, used in producing their manuscript, including for refining or formatting code reported in the work. This disclosure must be made in both the Acknowledgements and Methods sections. Authors remain fully responsible for the manuscript text, including reference accuracy and avoiding plagiarism, and any AI tool used must be cited in the text and included in the reference list.
Evidence
- At submission, authors must disclose the use of any AI or AI-assisted technology, including but not limited to large-language models (LLMs), chatbots and other similar technologies, in the production of their manuscript. Any use of an LLM or AI technology should be described in detail within the Materials and Methods section of the article. Authors are fully responsible for all text, including the accuracy of references and the absence of plagiarism. Any AI tool used must be cited in the text and referenced in the reference list.
AI Status
Assisting with gathering references
Policy Summary
The publisher does not provide a specific rule on using generative AI to gather references. However, when generative AI is used in the writing process, authors accept full responsibility for any AI output, including its accuracy, ensuring it is free of plagiarism, and ensuring all sources are appropriately attributed.
Evidence
- Any use of an LLM or AI technology should be described in detail within the Materials and Methods section of the article. Disclosure is not required for reference management software, such as Mendeley, EndNote, Zotero and similar tools, which authors are free to employ for collecting, organizing, annotating, and utilizing references to scholarly articles.
Source
AI Status
Presentation of any kind of content generated by AI tools as though it were original research data/results from non-machine sources
Policy Summary
BioScientifica states that any failure to disclose the use of AI-generative tools will be considered research misconduct and will result in immediate retraction of the article. Authors are fully responsible for the content of their manuscript, including any parts produced by an AI tool, and are liable for any breach of publication ethics. Presenting AI-generated content as original research data or results, or failing to disclose AI contributions, constitutes research misconduct.
Evidence
- Any failure to disclose the use of these tools will be considered research misconduct and will result in immediate retraction of the article. Each (co-) author is accountable for ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
