SciSpace Academy
Tutorial

Disclose, Don't Disguise: AI Transparency in Research and Publishing

SciSpace AcademyEnglishResponsible AI

TL;DR

1-min read

As AI tools become part of everyday research, journals and institutions increasingly expect authors to be open about how they used them. This tutorial focuses on transparency, explaining why disclosure protects credibility and how concealment can backfire. It is aimed at researchers and graduate students who use AI tools and want to report that use clearly in theses and journal publications.

Key takeaways

  • Transparent disclosure lets editors, reviewers and readers judge how a piece of work was produced and whether its methods are sound.
  • AI use that is hidden and later discovered can raise questions during peer review or after publication, which can damage an author's reputation.
  • Keeping a clear record of which tasks AI supported during a project makes an accurate disclosure much easier to write.
  • AI tools cannot be listed as authors, because they cannot take responsibility for the work or approve the final version.
  • SciSpace can support reading, writing and analysis within a research workflow, while the researcher keeps track of what the tool did and what they decided.
  • Authors remain accountable for every claim, citation and conclusion in their published work, regardless of how much AI support they used.
Apply it

To apply this, keep a running note of each task you complete with SciSpace, and use it to write the disclosure section your target journal or institution asks for before you submit.

How to do it

  1. Keep a running log of AI use

    Note each task you complete with SciSpace as you work. A clear record makes an accurate disclosure much easier to write later.

  2. Record what you decided

    Next to each AI-supported task, note what the tool did and what you decided. This separation shows you stayed accountable for the work.

  3. Read your journal's disclosure requirements

    Check what your target journal or institution asks authors to disclose. Transparent disclosure lets editors, reviewers and readers judge how the work was produced.

  4. Write your disclosure section

    Use your log to write the disclosure section before you submit. AI transparency in research protects your credibility, while hidden use can cause problems in peer review or after publication.

  5. Keep AI tools off the author list

    Do not list AI tools as authors, since they cannot take responsibility or approve the final version. Confirm you stand behind every claim, citation and conclusion.

Try this on SciSpace

Frequently asked questions

Why should researchers disclose AI use?

Disclosure lets editors, reviewers and readers judge how a piece of work was produced and whether the methods are sound. Many publishers and universities now require it. Being open also protects authors: if AI involvement is discovered later without a declaration, it can lead to questions about integrity, corrections or even retractions.

Can AI be listed as an author on a paper?

No. Major publishing ethics bodies and journals agree that AI tools cannot meet authorship criteria because they cannot take responsibility for the work, approve the final version or answer for its accuracy. Instead, AI use should be described in the methods, acknowledgements or a dedicated declaration, following the journal's instructions.

Related tutorials