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Everything You Need to Submit

From manuscript types to the AI Methodology section requirements — your complete guide to publishing in JSR.

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Manuscript Template

Download the JSR manuscript template (.docx) with pre-formatted APA 7th Edition styles and the required AI Methodology section placeholder.

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We format your manuscript to JSR standards: APA 7th, headings, spacing, citations, and AI Methodology section. Delivered within 5 business days. Publishing is always free — this is optional.

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Author Overview

JSR welcomes original scholarship that integrates accessible AI tools as a transparent methodological component. We are a diamond open access journal — no article processing charges, no subscription fees.

ParameterSpecification
Publication modelDiamond open access — free to read, free to publish
CopyrightAuthors retain copyright · CC-BY 4.0
Citation styleAPA 7th Edition
Review modelStandard double-blind; AI use disclosed in methods
Response timeDesk review: 1–2 weeks · Full review: 2–4 weeks
LanguagesEnglish (submissions in other languages under development)
Supplementary filesEncouraged — prompt logs, AI transcripts, workflow docs
Plagiarism screeningAll submissions screened prior to review

Our editorial position: AI use in research is not something to apologize for — it is something to describe with precision. A complete, honest AI Methodology section makes your manuscript more reviewable, not more vulnerable. The field advances when we're honest about how we actually work.

Manuscript Types

JSR publishes five manuscript types. All require an AI Methodology section regardless of type or length.

TypeDescriptionLength
Research Article Original empirical or theoretical scholarship demonstrating AI-integrated methodology with full methods, findings, and discussion. 5,000–8,000 words
Methodological Note Focused examination of a specific AI-assisted research technique, workflow, or approach. Shorter empirical base; deeper methodological reflection. 2,500–4,000 words
Research Brief Preliminary findings, pilot studies, or focused contributions on a narrow methodological question. Rapid publication track. 1,500–2,500 words
Practitioner Perspective Evidence-informed reflections from educators, trainers, policy practitioners, and organizational leaders on AI-integrated inquiry in professional contexts. 1,500–3,000 words
Invited Review / Commentary Critical engagement with published JSR articles, frameworks, or emerging debates in the field. By invitation or proposal. 1,000–2,500 words

Word counts exclude references and appendices. Abstracts (250–300 words) are not included in the word count.

The AI Methodology Section

Every JSR submission requires a dedicated AI Methodology section (500–800 words). This is not a disclosure form — it is a methods section for how you conducted your research using AI tools. Reviewers evaluate it like any other methods component: for completeness, clarity, and rigor.

What we're asking for: Tell us what tools you used, how you directed them, how you evaluated and verified their outputs, and how that process strengthened your research. We want to understand what promoted a rigorous and well-documented research process — not audit whether you used AI.

1
Tool Identification

Name the AI tools used (e.g., ChatGPT-4o, Claude Sonnet 3.7, Gemini Advanced), the access tier (free, Plus, API, institutional), and the specific role each tool played in your research. Transparency here is a sign of scholarly integrity, not a confession. Reviewers need this information to assess reproducibility and scope — not to judge whether AI should have been used at all.

2
Prompt Strategy

Describe how you directed the AI — what types of prompts you used, what iterative process you followed, and how your prompting strategy evolved. You do not need to reproduce verbatim prompts unless they are central to the contribution. What reviewers need is enough to understand the human's role in steering the AI's work.

3
Human Oversight Protocol

This is the most important component. Describe how you verified AI outputs, where you overrode or revised them, and what role your scholarly judgment played at each stage. Manuscripts in which the AI made the epistemic decisions — with the human functioning as a transcriptionist — will not pass HAIST review.

4
Limitations and Potential Biases

Acknowledge honestly where AI use may have introduced bias, constrained your analysis, or limited transferability. This strengthens your manuscript — reviewers reward candor over defensiveness.

5
HAIST Alignment Statement

A brief self-assessment (2–4 sentences) of how your work demonstrates human-AI symbiosis as defined by HAIST: the human brings judgment, context, and accountability; AI brings capacity, speed, and pattern recognition. Where did the symbiosis produce something neither party could have achieved alone?

Submission Checklist

Complete every item before submitting. Manuscripts missing the AI Methodology section or abstract structure will be returned without review.

  • Written in EnglishJSR's primary publication language is English — all submissions, abstracts, and metadata must be in English
  • Manuscript fileWord document (.docx), anonymized, APA 7th Edition formatting
  • AI Methodology section500–800 words; all 5 components present (tool ID, prompt strategy, oversight, limitations, HAIST alignment)
  • Structured abstract250–300 words with Purpose / Methods / AI Methodology / Findings / Implications sections
  • Keywords5–7 keywords; at least one must name the AI tool or methodology used
  • Double-blind anonymizationAuthor names, affiliations, self-citations, and identifying references removed from manuscript body
  • Title pageSeparate file with full author information, ORCID iDs, and corresponding author contact
  • ReferencesAPA 7th Edition, verified against source; no AI-fabricated citations
  • Supplementary materialsOptional but encouraged — prompt logs, AI output excerpts, workflow documentation
  • Word count confirmedWithin range for manuscript type; count excludes references and appendices
  • No simultaneous submissionManuscript not currently under review at another journal
The Review Process

From submission to decision, here is what you can expect at each stage of the JSR review process.

1
Desk Review (up to 2 weeks)

The Editor-in-Chief or a designated Associate Editor reviews your submission for scope fit, completeness, and minimum quality threshold. Manuscripts missing required sections or falling outside JSR's scope will receive a desk rejection at this stage — not a personal judgment, just a scope fit determination.

2
Reviewer Assignment (1–2 weeks)

The managing editor identifies two to three reviewers with relevant disciplinary expertise and hands-on AI research experience. Reviewers complete a brief JSR orientation before evaluating their first manuscript, ensuring consistent application of the HAIST rubric.

3
Peer Review (2–4 weeks)

Reviewers evaluate the manuscript against the seven HAIST-aligned criteria. They use a structured JSR review form that includes a separate section for evaluating the AI Methodology — ensuring it receives dedicated attention rather than a footnote.

4
Editorial Decision

Possible outcomes: Accept, Minor Revisions, Major Revisions, or Reject. All decisions include reviewer feedback. Authors receive the full review, not a summary. Resubmissions after Major Revisions receive a response-to-reviewers template.

5
Production & Publication

Accepted manuscripts enter copyediting, DOI assignment, and final formatting. Published immediately upon completion — no waiting for issue compilation. Assigned to volume/issue retroactively.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the questions we expect most often. More will be added as they arise.

Can I submit if I didn't use any AI tools?

No. JSR is specifically a venue for AI-integrated research methodology. If you did not use AI tools in your research process, this is not the right venue. We are not a general educational research journal.

What counts as "accessible" AI?

We define accessible as tools available to researchers without institutional procurement: free-tier ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Perplexity, etc. Paid subscriptions (ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro) also qualify. We are particularly interested in research that any scholar — including those at under-resourced institutions — could conduct with the tools available to them.

Will reviewers penalize me for using AI heavily?

Reviewers evaluate how AI was used, not how much. Heavy AI use that demonstrates rigorous human oversight and symbiotic collaboration will score well. Light AI use with poor human oversight will not. The quantity of AI involvement is not the variable — the quality of the human-AI relationship is.

Can reviewers use AI when writing their review?

Yes — and JSR encourages it, provided reviewers disclose their AI use at the end of their review form. We practice what we publish. A reviewer who uses Claude to organize their feedback and cites that clearly is modeling exactly the kind of transparent human-AI collaboration JSR exists to advance.

What if an AI hallucinated a citation in my manuscript?

This is a human oversight failure, not an AI failure — and it is a serious integrity issue. Every author is responsible for verifying every reference, regardless of whether AI generated it. JSR plagiarism screening includes citation verification. Manuscripts with fabricated references will be desk-rejected.

Does my submission need to be in English?

Yes. English is the primary and currently only supported submission language for JSR. All manuscripts, abstracts, keywords, and metadata must be submitted in English. The submission portal defaults to English automatically — no language selection is required. Multilingual submissions may be considered in future volumes as the journal grows.

Is there a submission fee?

No. JSR is diamond open access — no article processing charges, no submission fees, no subscription paywalls. Ever. This is a core commitment, not a launch promotion. JSR does offer an optional manuscript formatting service for $49 — but this is never required to submit or publish.