NJLLCS AI GUIDELINE FOR AUTHORS AND EDITORS

The Namibian Journal of Linguistics, Literature and Communication Studies (NJLLCS) recognises that artificial intelligence (AI) tools can assist with writing, editing, translation, and language polishing. Such tools may be used to improve clarity, grammar, style, and presentation. However, AI must not replace the author’s scholarly judgment, originality, or responsibility for the content submitted for publication.

Author responsibilities

• Authors retain full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and ethical quality of their manuscripts.
• Authors must verify and take responsibility for any text, data, references, analyses, interpretations, or summaries produced or suggested by AI.
• Authors must ensure that manuscripts are original and do not contain copied, closely paraphrased, translated, or previously published material without proper citation and quotation. Submissions will be screened for similarity and duplication.

Permitted AI use (no disclosure required)

• Assistive AI tools that provide minor language, grammar, formatting, or stylistic suggestions to improve an author’s own writing are permitted without formal disclosure. Examples include grammar checkers and style/formatting aids used to polish text the author has drafted.

AI use requiring disclosure

• Authors must disclose any substantial use of AI in manuscript preparation, including but not limited to AI-generated text, large-scale editing, automated translation, data generation, or reference synthesis.
• Disclosures should identify the tool(s) used and describe the nature and extent of the assistance.
• AI systems, including generative models, must not be listed as authors or co-authors, because authorship requires accountability and intellectual responsibility that only human contributors can assume.

Prohibited and inappropriate AI uses

• The following uses are prohibited: generating fabricated or inaccurate content, inventing references or data, producing plagiarised or improperly attributed material, falsifying research results, or using AI to produce peer-review reports or other evaluative content in a deceptive manner.
• Undisclosed substantial AI assistance that affects the intellectual content of a submission is considered a breach of this policy.

Editorial checks and actions

• The editorial office may use approved digital tools and manual review to screen submissions for AI-generated content, similarity, duplication, and other ethical concerns.
• Where concerns arise, editors may request clarifications, original drafts, raw data, or evidence of prior dissemination.
• Failure to disclose substantial AI use, confirmed plagiarism, duplicate publication, or other breaches may result in rejection, retraction, notification to the author’s institution, or other actions consistent with standard publication ethics.

Reviewers and editors

• Reviewers who suspect inappropriate or undisclosed generative AI use in a manuscript or review should alert the handling editor. Editors will apply this policy in assessing such concerns and may consult relevant institutional or professional guidelines.

Scope and acknowledgement

• This policy applies to all submitted materials, including research articles, reviews, notes, responses, and supplementary files.
• By submitting to NJLLCS, authors confirm that they have read, understood, and complied with this AI guideline.