Urdu Studies is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, originality, and ethical scholarship. In light of the increasing availability and use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, it is necessary to clarify our policy for both authors and reviewers.
- Use by Authors
- Authors may use Generative AI tools (such as language models, paraphrasing tools, or automated translation systems) to assist with tasks like grammar correction, stylistic improvement, or preliminary idea generation. However, such use must be transparent and should not replace the author’s intellectual contribution, originality, or critical analysis.
- Any substantial use of AI tools—for example, in drafting portions of a manuscript, creating translations, or generating summaries—must be explicitly acknowledged in the submission, typically in a note or acknowledgment section. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, authenticity, and integrity of the content produced.
- AI tools may not be credited as authors or co-authors, as they do not meet the criteria of intellectual responsibility and accountability required of human contributors.
- Use by Reviewers
- Reviewers are expected to exercise their independent scholarly judgment in evaluating submissions. While they may use AI tools to assist in language clarity or fact-checking, the responsibility for providing a fair, critical, and unbiased evaluation lies entirely with the reviewer.
- Confidentiality of manuscripts must be strictly observed. Reviewers are prohibited from uploading or sharing manuscripts to public AI platforms, since this may compromise confidentiality and intellectual property rights.
- Ethical and Academic Standards
- The journal does not permit the submission of work generated entirely or predominantly by AI tools without significant human input, interpretation, and analysis. Submissions found to rely excessively on AI without proper disclosure may be subject to rejection or retraction.
- Both authors and reviewers should remain mindful that AI-generated content can contain inaccuracies, biases, or fabricated references. It is the duty of the author to verify the credibility of all information presented, and of reviewers to critically assess claims and citations.
- Commitment to Integrity
Urdu Studies values human creativity, critical thinking, and intellectual honesty. While we recognize that Generative AI can serve as a supportive tool in the research and publication process, it must be used responsibly and with full disclosure. The ultimate accountability for published work rests with the human scholar.
This policy reflects our commitment to uphold academic rigor and to adapt responsibly to new technologies, while safeguarding the authenticity and ethical foundation of Urdu literary and cultural scholarship.
