TAZKIYA Journal of Psychology is committed to maintaining academic integrity, research transparency, originality, and responsible scholarly communication. This policy establishes the requirements for using generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the preparation, analysis, and submission of manuscripts to the journal.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, ethical integrity, and scholarly quality of their submissions, regardless of whether AI tools have been used during manuscript preparation.

Authors may use generative AI tools to support limited tasks in manuscript preparation, provided that the use does not compromise the accuracy, originality, or integrity of the research. Permitted uses may include:

• Correcting grammar, spelling, punctuation, and language errors.
• Improving sentence clarity, readability, and academic writing style without misrepresenting the research.
• Organizing outlines or brainstorming ideas as preliminary writing assistance.
• Supporting coding, data organization, or analytical workflows when appropriate, provided that methods and outputs are independently verified and reported transparently where relevant.
• Assisting with translation, provided that the translated content is checked for accuracy and preserves the intended scholarly meaning.

AI tools must be used as aids rather than substitutes for scholarly judgment. Authors must critically review all AI-assisted content before submission.

The following practices are prohibited or unacceptable in submissions to TAZKIYA:

• Fabricating, falsifying, manipulating, or misrepresenting research data, results, participant responses, or research findings using AI tools.
• Creating fictitious references, citations, quotations, research sources, or bibliographic information.
• Submitting AI-generated content without appropriate human review, verification, and disclosure when required by this policy.
• Using AI-generated material to misrepresent the authors' intellectual contributions, research activities, or expertise.
• Using AI tools to produce misleading interpretations, unsupported conclusions, or claims that cannot be substantiated by the research evidence.
• Uploading confidential manuscripts, identifiable participant information, sensitive research data, or restricted materials to AI services without appropriate authorization and safeguards.
• Listing an AI system as an author or co-author.

The use of AI does not excuse plagiarism, research misconduct, breaches of confidentiality, or violations of research ethics. All references, data, analyses, and substantive claims must be checked by the authors against reliable sources and original research records.

Authors must disclose the use of generative AI tools when those tools contribute to the substantive development of the manuscript, research methodology, data analysis, interpretation, or other scholarly content. Routine spelling and grammar correction or minor language polishing generally does not require a separate disclosure unless the journal requests it.

Where disclosure is required, authors should provide the following information in the Methods section, Acknowledgments, or another appropriate section of the manuscript:

• The name of the AI tool or system used.
• The purpose and nature of its use.
• The relevant stages of manuscript preparation or research in which it was used.
• The verification and review undertaken by the authors, where relevant.

Authors should adapt the statement to reflect their actual use of AI. A disclosure must not imply that AI tools performed research activities, validation, or verification that were not actually carried out.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that the use of AI does not compromise the quality or ethical standards of their research. In particular, authors must:

• Verify the accuracy of all AI-assisted text, references, data, calculations, and interpretations.
• Ensure that the manuscript represents their genuine scholarly contributions and complies with the journal's authorship policy.
• Disclose relevant AI use transparently and accurately.
• Protect research participants' privacy, confidentiality, and personal information when using AI services.
• Comply with applicable research ethics requirements, intellectual property rules, and publication policies.
• Respond to editorial inquiries concerning AI use and provide clarification when reasonably requested.

Editors and reviewers must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and unpublished research. They must not upload confidential manuscripts, reviewer reports, author information, or unpublished research materials to public or third-party AI tools when doing so could compromise confidentiality or violate applicable data protection requirements.

AI tools must not replace the independent scholarly judgment of editors and reviewers. Editorial decisions and peer-review recommendations remain the responsibility of the individuals assigned to those roles. Any permitted use of AI assistance must be consistent with confidentiality, impartiality, and the journal's editorial policies.

Authors must disclose the use of generative AI to create or materially modify images, illustrations, figures, or other visual materials included in a manuscript. Authors must ensure that such materials do not fabricate or misrepresent research evidence and that their use complies with applicable copyright, licensing, and research-integrity requirements.

AI-generated or AI-modified visual materials must not be presented as authentic research observations, participant images, experimental results, or documentary evidence when they are not. Authors must provide sufficient information for the editorial team to assess the nature and appropriateness of the material.

The editorial team may request clarification or additional information about the use of AI in a submitted manuscript. Where there are reasonable concerns about undisclosed AI use, fabricated information, plagiarism, inaccurate references, confidentiality breaches, or other forms of misconduct, the journal may conduct further assessment in accordance with its publication ethics policies.

Depending on the nature and severity of the issue and the stage of publication, possible actions may include:

• Requesting clarification, supporting documentation, or manuscript revisions.
• Rejecting a manuscript that does not meet the journal's ethical or scholarly standards.
• Investigating suspected research or publication misconduct.
• Issuing a correction, expression of concern, or retraction when warranted for a published article.

Actions will be determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the available evidence, the nature of the concern, and the journal's applicable policies.

TAZKIYA will periodically review this policy to reflect developments in generative AI, research practices, publication ethics, and relevant scholarly publishing standards. Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to follow the version of the policy applicable to their submission or editorial activity.