SAGE AI Guidelines
Last updated: April 1, 2026
Check AI policies for below classifications
Refinement, correction, editing or formatting the manuscript to improve clarity of language
Policy Summary
SAGE permits authors to use assistive AI tools to refine or enhance their own writing for language-related improvements such as grammar, language, or structure. Authors are not required to disclose the use of these assistive AI tools. However, authors are responsible for ensuring their submission is accurate and meets rigorous scholarly standards, and all content, including AI-assisted content, must undergo rigorous human review prior to submission.
Evidence
- AI tools that make suggestions to improve or enhance your own work, such as tools to improve language, grammar, or structure, are considered assistive AI tools and do not require disclosure by authors or reviewers. However, authors are responsible for ensuring their submission is accurate and meets the standards for rigorous scholarship You are not required to disclose the use of assistive AI tools in your submission, but all content, including AI-assisted content, must undergo rigorous human review prior to submission. This is to ensure the content aligns with our standards for quality and authenticity.
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AI Status
Writing or drafting manuscript content
Policy Summary
SAGE requires authors to disclose at submission when AI tools and/or LLMs are used primarily or partially to generate manuscript content, including text, that directly affects the research methodology, analysis, results, and/or conclusions. Authors using generative AI to write their research must make every effort to ensure the output is factually correct and that references reflect the claims made. All content must undergo rigorous human review prior to submission.
Evidence
- The primary or partial use of AI tools and/or LLMs that produce content such as references, text, images, or any other content that directly impacts the research methodology, analysis, results and/or conclusions must be disclosed upon submission. Authors using generative AI to write their research must make every effort to ensure that the output is factually correct, and the references provided reflect the claims made.
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AI Status
Translation of manuscript text for the purpose of publishing
Policy Summary
SAGE identifies translation of materials as part of the research process as an appropriate use of generative AI requiring disclosure within the methods or acknowledgements. Authors are required to inform SAGE of any AI-generated content appearing in their work, including translations, when submitting. Authors must verify the accuracy, validity, and appropriateness of any AI-generated translations.
Evidence
- You are required to inform us of any AI-generated content appearing in your work (including text, images, or translations) when you submit any form of content to Sage or Corwin. Authors should consider the following as appropriate uses for GenAI in research publishing that require disclosure within the methods or acknowledgements: 2. Translation of materials as part of the research process
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AI Status
Refining or formatting of data reported in the manuscript
Policy Summary
SAGE prohibits the use of generative AI to artificially create or modify core research data. SAGE also identifies generating data (or a submission) through a series of prompts as an inappropriate use of generative AI. The policy does not specify human review requirements for this classification.
Evidence
- Do not use generative AI to artificially create or modify core research data. Inappropriate use of GenAI includes: 2. Generation of data or submission using a series of prompts
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AI Status
Generation, refinement, correction, editing or formatting of images, diagrams or other figures for illustrative purposes only
Policy Summary
SAGE identifies the generation of representative illustrations or infographics as an appropriate use of generative AI in research publishing, requiring disclosure within the methods or acknowledgements. Authors are required to inform SAGE of any AI-generated content, including images, at the time of submission. It may be appropriate to cite generative AI tools when they have been used to create images or visualizations as representative contributions rather than original research outputs.
Evidence
- You are required to inform us of any AI-generated content appearing in your work (including text, images, or translations) when you submit any form of content to Sage or Corwin. Authors should consider the following as appropriate uses for GenAI in research publishing that require disclosure within the methods or acknowledgements: 5. Generation of representative illustrations or infographics It may be appropriate to cite GenAI tools when they have been used to create images or visualizations as representative contributions rather than original.
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AI Status
Generation, refinement, correction, editing or formatting of visualisations of research data or results
Policy Summary
SAGE identifies assistance in research data visualization as an appropriate use of generative AI requiring disclosure within the methods or acknowledgements. The primary or partial use of AI tools that produce content directly impacting the research methodology, analysis, results, and/or conclusions must be disclosed upon submission. It may be appropriate to cite generative AI tools when they have been used to create visualizations as representative contributions rather than original research outputs.
Evidence
- Authors should consider the following as appropriate uses for GenAI in research publishing that require disclosure within the methods or acknowledgements: 4. Assistance in research data visualization The primary or partial use of AI tools and/or LLMs that produce content directly impacts the research methodology, analysis, results and/or conclusions must be disclosed upon submission. It may be appropriate to cite GenAI tools when they have been used to create images or visualization as representative contributions rather than original.
AI Status
Refinement or formatting of code reported in the submitted manuscript
Policy Summary
SAGE identifies using software or code generated by AI to undertake additional research, and code enhanced or checked for errors by AI assistance, as appropriate uses of generative AI requiring disclosure within the methods or acknowledgements. Authors must verify the accuracy, validity, and appropriateness of AI-generated code outputs.
Evidence
- Authors should consider the following as appropriate uses for GenAI in research publishing that require disclosure within the methods or acknowledgements: 3. Using software or code generated by AI to undertake additional research 6. Code enhanced or checked for errors by AI assistance
AI Status
Assisting with gathering references
Policy Summary
SAGE requires disclosure upon submission when AI tools and/or LLMs are used to produce content such as references and that content directly impacts the research methodology, analysis, results and/or conclusions. SAGE identifies assistance with compiling references and with literature review or compilation of relevant sources as appropriate uses of generative AI that require disclosure within the methods or acknowledgements. Authors should carefully verify the accuracy, validity, and appropriateness of AI-produced citations and should carefully check sources and citations, including by cross-checking citation accuracy.
Evidence
- The primary or partial use of AI tools and/or LLMs that produce content such as references, text, images, or any other content that directly impacts the research methodology, analysis, results and/or conclusions must be disclosed upon submission so the editorial team can evaluate the content generated. Authors should consider the following as appropriate uses for GenAI in research publishing that require disclosure within the methods or acknowledgements: 1. Assistance with literature review or compilation of relevant sources 7. Assistance with compilation of references Carefully verify the accuracy, validity, and appropriateness of AI-generated content or AI-produced citations: Large Language Models (LLMs) can sometimes "hallucinate" – producing incorrect or misleading information, especially when used outside of the domain of their training data or when dealing with complex or ambiguous topics. Carefully check sources & citations: Offer a comprehensive list of resources utilized for content and citations, including those produced by AI. Meticulously cross-check citations for their accuracy to ensure proper referencing.
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AI Status
Presentation of any kind of content generated by AI tools as though it were original research data/results from non-machine sources
Policy Summary
SAGE prohibits the use of generative AI to artificially create or modify core research data. SAGE also treats it as inappropriate to present AI-generated images as if they were unique or novel research images. In addition, SAGE identifies fabricated references and falsified claims as inappropriate uses of generative AI. The policy does not specify human review requirements for this classification.
Evidence
- Do not use generative AI to artificially create or modify core research data. Inappropriate use of GenAI includes: 6. Generated images that are presented as unique or novel research images 7. Fabricated references or falsified claims
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AI Status
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