Based on APA Guidelines and Ethical Standards

The Journal of Health, Sports, and Kinesiology (JOHSK) adheres to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) standards regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including large language models (e.g., ChatGPT), machine-translation programs, grammar-editing software, and similar technologies. The following policy outlines the ethical, responsible, and transparent use of AI tools in the preparation, development, and submission of scholarly manuscripts.


1. AI Tools Cannot Be Authors

Consistent with APA guidance, AI tools cannot be credited as authors or co-authors. AI systems do not meet the criteria for authorship, cannot take responsibility for the accuracy or integrity of the work, and cannot fulfill publication responsibilities. Only human contributors may be listed as authors and must take full responsibility for all aspects of the manuscript.


2. Acceptable Use of AI Tools

Authors may use AI tools only for minor, editorial assistance, including:

• Grammar and spelling correction

• Language editing and reduction of writing errors

• Formatting or stylistic adjustments

• Generating outlines or helping organize ideas

• Translation assistance when accuracy is verified

These uses must not replace human scholarly reasoning or original intellectual contributions.


3. Prohibited Use of AI Tools

Authors may not use AI tools to:

• Generate original scientific content

• Write literature reviews, theoretical frameworks, or interpretations

• Produce or analyze data

• Draw research conclusions

• Create, alter, or manipulate results, tables, or figures

• Fabricate references or citations

• Replace scholarly judgment or methodological decision-making

AI tools must not be used in any way that compromises academic integrity, research ethics, or the authenticity of scholarly work.


4. Disclosure Requirements for AI Use

APA requires transparent reporting of AI assistance. Therefore, JOHSK authors must clearly disclose any use of AI tools in one of the following sections:

• Method

• Acknowledgments

• A designated “AI Use Disclosure” statement

The disclosure must include:

• The name of the AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT, version if available)

• The purpose of its use

• The scope and extent of its contribution

A statement that the authors verified and are responsible for all content

Example Disclosure Statement (APA-Aligned):

"The authors used ChatGPT (OpenAI, Version GPT-5.1) for grammar editing and improving sentence clarity during manuscript preparation. All content generated was reviewed, verified, and approved by the authors, who take full responsibility for the final manuscript."

If no AI tools were used, no disclosure is required.

5. Responsibility for Accuracy and Integrity

Following APA standards, authors remain fully accountable for:

• The accuracy of all text, data, quotations, and interpretations

• The authenticity and validity of references

• The originality of the work

• Ensuring that no fabricated or hallucinated content is included

• Compliance with ethical research and reporting standards

Use of AI does not mitigate responsibility for plagiarism, ethical misconduct, or academic errors.

6. Confidentiality, Privacy, and Data Protection

APA guidelines prohibit uploading confidential or protected information into AI tools. Authors must ensure that no AI tool is used to process:

• Personally identifiable information

• Sensitive participant data

• Confidential or proprietary institutional materials

• Unpublished manuscripts or reviewer comments

• Information protected under IRB, HIPAA, FERPA, or similar regulations

Authors must adhere to all privacy, ethics, and data-protection requirements.

7. Citation of AI Tools (If Applicable)

If AI-generated text is included in the manuscript (for example, as an example of AI output in a methods demonstration), it must be properly cited following APA Style:

Reference List Example:
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (Version GPT-5.1) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/

In-text Citation: (ChatGPT, 2024)

Most scholarly manuscripts will not require citation because AI-generated content should not appear in academic sections such as results, discussion, or literature reviews.


8. Plagiarism Screening

All manuscripts submitted to JOHSK will be screened for plagiarism. AI-generated content is subject to the same standards and must not include:

• Unattributed text

• Overly similar phrasing

• Fabricated quotations

• Inaccurate or non-existent sources

Authors are responsible for ensuring the originality and integrity of the manuscript.

Full Policy Statement for JOHSK Author Guidelines

“The Journal of Health, Sports, and Kinesiology (JOHSK) follows the American Psychological Association’s (APA) guidelines on the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. AI tools (such as ChatGPT) may be used only for limited purposes, such as grammar editing, language refinement, formatting adjustments, and organizational assistance. AI tools cannot be listed as authors and must not generate scientific content, conduct data analysis, interpret results, create conclusions, fabricate references, or replace scholarly judgment. Authors must transparently disclose any use of AI tools in the manuscript and describe how the tool was used. Authors bear full responsibility for verifying the accuracy, integrity, originality, and ethical compliance of all content—including any AI-assisted material. Confidential or sensitive data must not be entered into AI systems. Any misuse of AI that compromises academic integrity will result in manuscript rejection or other appropriate actions.”