Plagiarism and Generative AI

Plagiarism Policy

Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Global South (JCEEGS)

The Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Global South (JCEEGS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and originality. All submitted manuscripts must represent the authors’ original work and must be free from any form of plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, redundant publication, and improper citation practices.

To ensure originality, all manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin) prior to the peer review process. Manuscripts that exceed acceptable similarity thresholds may be returned for revision or rejected at the editorial stage.

Similarity Threshold

  • Recommended overall similarity index: maximum 20%
  • Similarity from a single source should not exceed 5%
  • Properly cited quotations and references are excluded from misconduct considerations

Editorial decisions are not based solely on similarity percentages but also consider context, citation accuracy, and overall academic integrity. Even manuscripts with low similarity scores may be rejected if unethical reuse or plagiarism is identified.

Types of Unacceptable Practices

  • Direct plagiarism (copying without proper attribution)
  • Mosaic plagiarism (patchwriting without adequate citation)
  • Self-plagiarism or duplicate submission/publication
  • Data fabrication or falsification
  • Inadequate acknowledgment of sources

Sanctions and Actions

If plagiarism is detected at any stage:

  • Before review: Manuscript will be rejected outright
  • During review: Review process will be terminated
  • After publication: Article may be corrected or retracted in accordance with COPE guidelines

JCEEGS reserves the right to notify authors’ affiliated institutions in cases of serious ethical violations.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage Policy

Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Global South (JCEEGS)

1. Policy Rationale

JCEEGS recognizes that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly influencing engineering research and scholarly publishing. In civil and environmental engineering, AI tools can support data analysis, modeling, simulation, and communication of research findings. At the same time, the journal emphasizes that engineering knowledge must remain grounded in scientific rigor, empirical validation, and ethical accountability.

This policy establishes clear standards for the responsible use of AI in manuscript preparation, aligned with best practices from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and international indexing standards such as Scopus and Web of Science.

2. Definition of AI Tools

AI tools refer to computational systems that utilize machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), or generative models to assist in producing or processing scholarly content.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude)
  • Language enhancement tools (e.g., Grammarly, DeepL Write)
  • AI-assisted data analysis, modeling, and simulation tools
  • Automated literature search and reference management tools
  • Engineering design, optimization, and visualization software supported by AI

3. Acceptable Use of AI

a. Permissible Applications
  • Improving grammar, clarity, and academic writing quality
  • Assisting non-native English speakers in language refinement
  • Supporting data analysis, modeling, or simulation (with full validation)
  • Organizing references and conducting preliminary literature searches
  • Generating draft code for engineering analysis (subject to verification)
  • Creating original visualizations (e.g., graphs, models, diagrams)
b. Prohibited and Restricted Uses
  • Generating entire manuscripts or core scientific arguments without substantial human contribution
  • Fabricating or manipulating experimental, simulation, or field data
  • Producing fictitious citations or misleading references
  • Using AI-generated outputs without verification and validation
  • Misrepresenting AI-generated content as fully original human work
  • Simulating field data, engineering measurements, or environmental observations

4. Author Responsibility and Accountability

Authors are fully responsible for all content submitted to JCEEGS, including any portion developed with AI assistance. Authors must:

  • Ensure accuracy, validity, and reproducibility of results
  • Verify all AI-generated outputs (data, text, code, models)
  • Eliminate errors, bias, or fabricated information
  • Maintain scientific rigor and methodological transparency

AI tools must be used only as supportive instruments and must not replace the intellectual contribution of the authors.

5. Authorship Criteria

AI tools cannot be listed as authors under any circumstances. Authorship is reserved exclusively for human contributors who are accountable for the research and its outcomes.

6. Disclosure and Transparency

Authors must disclose any use of AI tools beyond basic language editing.

Disclosure must include:

  • Name and version of the AI tool
  • Purpose of its use
  • Extent of its contribution
  • Confirmation of human verification and revision

Suggested Disclosure Statement:

“During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used [AI Tool Name] for [specific purpose]. All outputs were critically reviewed and validated by the author(s), who take full responsibility for the final content.”

7. Placement of Disclosure

  • Methods section → for data analysis, modeling, or simulation support
  • Acknowledgements section → for language editing or minor assistance
  • Dedicated AI Statement section (recommended)

8. Editorial and Peer Review Process

The editorial team evaluates AI usage as part of ethical screening and peer review. If misuse or non-disclosure is suspected, the journal may request clarification, require revision, or reject the manuscript.

AI-detection tools may be used as supplementary instruments; however, final decisions remain under human editorial judgment.

9. Sanctions for Policy Violations

  • Desk rejection of the manuscript
  • Retraction of published articles
  • Notification to affiliated institutions
  • Temporary or permanent submission bans

10. Appeals Mechanism

Authors may submit a formal appeal to the Editor-in-Chief regarding decisions related to AI usage. Appeals must include a clear justification and supporting evidence.

11. AI Use in Editorial Management

JCEEGS does not use AI for autonomous editorial decision-making. Any AI support in editorial workflows is limited, transparent, and fully supervised by human editors.

12. Policy Review and Updates

This policy will be periodically updated to reflect technological advancements, evolving ethical standards, and developments in global scholarly publishing.

13. Ethical Alignment

This policy aligns with international best practices, particularly those established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and major indexing standards such as Scopus and Web of Science.

Closing Statement

JCEEGS supports the responsible and transparent use of AI as a tool to enhance—rather than replace—scientific inquiry. The journal remains committed to maintaining technical rigor, ethical accountability, and globally relevant engineering scholarship, particularly in advancing knowledge from and within the Global South.