ACS Catalysis AI Policy: ChatGPT and Generative AI Disclosure Rules for ACS Catalysis Authors
ACS Catalysis requires AI disclosure under ACS rules. AI cannot be an author. This guide covers where to disclose, what to disclose, and the consequences of non-compliance for ACS Catalysis submissions.
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ACS Catalysis at a glance
Key metrics to place the journal before deciding whether it fits your manuscript and career goals.
What makes this journal worth targeting
- IF 13.1 puts ACS Catalysis in a visible tier — citations from papers here carry real weight.
- Scope specificity matters more than impact factor for most manuscript decisions.
- Acceptance rate of ~~20-30% means fit determines most outcomes.
When to look elsewhere
- When your paper sits at the edge of the journal's stated scope — borderline fit rarely improves after submission.
- If timeline matters: ACS Catalysis takes ~~100-130 days median. A faster-turnaround journal may suit a grant or job deadline better.
- If open access is required by your funder, verify the journal's OA agreements before submitting.
Quick answer: The ACS Catalysis AI policy follows ACS's rules calibrated to mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol submissions. AI tools can be used for manuscript preparation but every use must be disclosed in the Methods section, with ACS Catalysis's editorial team checking specifics at desk-screen. AI cannot be listed as an author of any ACS Catalysis paper. AI-generated figures and schematics representing original research data are prohibited under ACS Catalysis's image-integrity standard. ACS Catalysis editors treat undisclosed use as a publication-ethics violation per ICMJE + COPE.
Run the ACS Catalysis submission readiness check which includes an automated AI-disclosure audit, or work through this guide manually. Need broader context? See the ACS Catalysis journal overview.
The Manusights ACS Catalysis readiness scan. This guide tells you what ACS Catalysis's editors look for when verifying AI disclosure at desk-screen. The scan tells you whether YOUR Methods section has the required language before you submit. We have reviewed manuscripts targeting ACS Catalysis and peer venues; the named patterns below are the same ones Cathleen Crudden and ACS Publications AI Committee flag at the desk-screen and editorial-board consultation stages. 60-day money-back guarantee. We do not train AI on your manuscript and delete it within 24 hours.
Editorial detail (for desk-screen calibration). Editor-in-Chief: Cathleen Crudden (Queen's University) leads ACS Catalysis editorial decisions. Editorial-board listings change; verify the current incumbent at the journal's editorial-team page before quoting the name in a submission cover letter. Submission portal: https://acs.manuscriptcentral.com/acscatal. Manuscript constraints: 250-word abstract limit and 8,000-word main-text cap (ACS Catalysis enforces both during desk-screen). We reviewed ACS's AI policy framework against current ACS Catalysis author guidelines (accessed 2026-05-08); evidence basis includes both publicly documented ACS policy and our internal anonymized submission corpus. The applicable word limit at ACS Catalysis is shown below: 250-word abstract limit and 8,000-word main-text cap (ACS Catalysis enforces both during desk-screen).
The manuscript word limit at this journal is 8,000 words for main text (verify article-type-specific caps in the latest author guidelines). The named editorial-culture quirk: ACS Catalysis reviewers expect detailed control experiments and explicit mechanistic assignment; computational-only papers without experimental validation get longer rounds.
What does ACS Catalysis's AI policy require?
ACS Catalysis authors must follow four rules under ACS's AI framework, all enforced at desk-screen:
Rule 1: Disclose every AI tool used in manuscript preparation
Authors must name every generative AI tool used, its version, and how it was used. The disclosure goes in the Methods section, not the Acknowledgments. Examples that REQUIRE disclosure at ACS Catalysis:
- For ACS Catalysis-targeted manuscripts addressing mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol: using ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or similar to draft, polish, or edit manuscript text passing through ACS Catalysis editorial review
- For ACS Catalysis submissions: using AI to generate boilerplate text for limitations, ethics statements, or ACS Catalysis-specific response-to-reviewers letters that cite ACS's framework
- For ACS Catalysis submissions: using AI to translate manuscript text into English from another language, with ACS expecting disclosure of the source language and translation chain
- For ACS Catalysis literature reviews: using AI for citation discovery or summarizing prior ACS Catalysis work; ACS's policy applies regardless of citation context
- For ACS Catalysis analytical pipelines: AI-assisted code generation requires Methods + code disclosure under ICMJE + COPE, particularly when code touches mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol analysis
Examples that do NOT require AI disclosure:
- At ACS Catalysis, using grammar/spell checkers (Word, Grammarly basic) that do not generate new content for the manuscript
- For ACS Catalysis submissions, using reference managers (Zotero, EndNote) for citation formatting against ACS's style guide
- For ACS Catalysis statistical analysis, using established statistical software (R, Stata, SPSS) where the algorithm is the established tool documented in ACS Catalysis's methodological norm, not a generative AI
Rule 2: AI cannot be an author
No AI tool can be listed as an author of a ACS Catalysis paper, particularly for mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol-class submissions. Under ACS's policy: authorship requires the ability to take responsibility for the content, agree to be accountable for accuracy, and to consent to publication. AI tools cannot do any of these in ACS Catalysis's editorial framework. This rule is consistent across all ACS-published journals and applied at ACS Catalysis's desk-screen.
Rule 3: AI-generated figures are prohibited for original research data
ACS Catalysis editorial team does not accept AI-generated images, figures, or schematics that represent original research data in mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol-class submissions. AI tools may assist with figure layout (axis labeling, color schemes) but the underlying data visualization must come from the actual research. AI-generated diagrams used for conceptual illustrations (e.g., a schematic of a hypothesized mechanism) require explicit disclosure and a statement that the diagram is conceptual.
Rule 4: Disclose AI use in peer review participation
Reviewers writing reports for ACS Catalysis cannot use generative AI to draft their reports without disclosing it to the editor. Some ACS journals prohibit AI-assisted reviewing entirely; ACS Catalysis follows ACS's default of disclosure-required. The editor decides whether the report is acceptable based on disclosure.
How does ACS Catalysis's AI policy compare to peer journals?
Rule | ACS Catalysis stance | ACS default | ICMJE/COPE alignment |
|---|---|---|---|
AI authorship | Prohibited | Prohibited | ICMJE-aligned |
Disclosure location | Methods section | Methods section | ICMJE-aligned |
AI-generated figures | Prohibited for original data | Prohibited | COPE image-integrity-aligned |
Reviewer AI use | Disclosure required | Disclosure required | COPE peer-review-aligned |
Enforcement intensity | Desk-screen check | Desk-screen check | Pre-publication enforcement |
Source: https://pubs.acs.org/page/policy/ai_policy.html (accessed 2026-05-08) plus ACS Catalysis author guidelines.
What does AI disclosure look like in a ACS Catalysis Methods section?
Acceptable disclosure language for ACS Catalysis submissions:
"For our mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol-focused manuscript at ACS Catalysis, we used ChatGPT-4o (OpenAI, version dated October 2024) to polish English-language phrasing in the Introduction and Discussion sections. We did not use generative AI for data analysis, figure generation, or substantive manuscript content. All authors reviewed and edited the AI-assisted text and take responsibility for the final manuscript."
Or, for AI-assisted code:
"For this ACS Catalysis submission addressing mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol, initial Python code for the Bayesian regression analysis was drafted with Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Anthropic, version dated December 2024). All code was reviewed, modified, and validated by the authors before use; the final version is available at [repository URL]. Statistical inference was performed using the established R package brms."
What does NOT pass ACS Catalysis's desk-screen:
- For ACS Catalysis addressing mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol: "AI tools were used in manuscript preparation." Too vague for ACS editorial review of ACS Catalysis submissions; the ACS Catalysis editorial team needs the specific tool name, version, and specific use case
- "We acknowledge AI assistance in the Acknowledgments." (Wrong location; must be Methods)
- "ChatGPT helped write this paper." (Insufficient detail on use case)
- No disclosure when AI was used (publication-ethics violation)
What do pre-submission reviews reveal about ACS Catalysis's AI-disclosure desk-screen failures?
In our pre-submission review work on ACS Catalysis-targeted manuscripts, three patterns most consistently predict AI-policy desk-screen flags at ACS Catalysis. Of the manuscripts we screened in 2025 targeting ACS Catalysis and peer venues, the patterns below are the same ones ACS Publications AI Committee flags during editorial review.
AI disclosure missing despite obvious AI-assisted phrasing. ACS Catalysis editors identify AI-drafted text by patterns like overuse of em-dashes, formulaic transitions ("In conclusion," "Furthermore"), and uniform sentence length variance. When the manuscript shows these patterns but contains no AI disclosure, it triggers an editorial query. Check whether your manuscript reads as AI-assisted
AI disclosure in Acknowledgments instead of Methods. ACS Catalysis editorial team flags this as a common mistake against mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol submissions. ACS's policy specifies Methods placement so that the disclosure is part of the methodological record, not a courtesy under ACS Catalysis's editorial culture. Misplaced disclosures get flagged at desk-screen and require resubmission. Check whether your AI disclosure is in the right section
Generic disclosure language without tool name and version. ACS Catalysis editorial team requires the specific tool, its version (or access date), and the specific use case. "AI tools were used" without specifics gets returned. Check whether your AI disclosure has the required specificity
What is the ACS Catalysis AI-policy compliance timeline?
Stage | Duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
Author drafts AI disclosure | 30-60 minutes | Identify all AI use, gather tool versions, write Methods paragraph |
Co-author review of disclosure | 1-2 days | All authors confirm the disclosure is complete and accurate |
Editorial desk-screen check | 1-2 weeks | ACS Catalysis's editorial team verifies disclosure against the manuscript |
Editorial query (if disclosure incomplete) | 5-10 days | Editor requests revision before sending to peer review |
Reviewer AI-disclosure check | During peer review | Reviewers verify the disclosure matches the manuscript style |
Source: Manusights internal review of ACS Catalysis-targeted submissions, 2025 cohort.
Submit If
- For ACS Catalysis submissions on mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol: the manuscript explicitly discloses every AI tool used, with name, version, and specific use case in the Methods section, calibrated to ACS Catalysis's editorial expectations
- For ACS Catalysis: no AI tool is listed as an author; all listed authors meet ICMJE authorship criteria, agree to take responsibility, and ACS expects this acknowledgment in the cover letter
- For ACS Catalysis: figures and schematics representing original research data come from the actual research, not AI generation, with ACS Catalysis editorial team checking image-integrity at desk-screen
- For ACS Catalysis submissions: the disclosure includes a statement that all human authors reviewed and edited the AI-assisted text, with ACS requiring this acknowledgment per ICMJE + COPE
Readiness check
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Think Twice If
- The manuscript shows AI-drafted text patterns (em-dash overuse, formulaic transitions) but contains no AI disclosure; ACS Catalysis desk-screen will flag this.
- The AI disclosure is in the Acknowledgments instead of the Methods section, against ACS's explicit guidance.
- The disclosure language is generic ("AI tools were used") without specifying tool name, version, and use case; ACS Catalysis editors return manuscripts with this gap.
- Any figure or schematic representing original research data was generated by AI; ACS Catalysis prohibits this regardless of disclosure.
Manusights submission-corpus signal for ACS Catalysis. Of the manuscripts our team screened before submission to ACS Catalysis and peer venues in 2025, the AI-policy compliance gap most consistent across the cohort is generic disclosure language without tool-version specificity. In our analysis of anonymized ACS Catalysis-targeted submissions, manuscripts with complete AI disclosure (tool name, version, specific use case, all-author confirmation) clear desk-screen at the same rate as manuscripts without AI use; manuscripts with incomplete or missing disclosure trigger editorial queries that add 1-2 weeks to the timeline. ACS Publications AI Committee reviews disclosures against ICMJE + COPE framework requirements, and ACS Catalysis applies that framework consistently with ACS's broader policy. Recent retractions in the ACS Catalysis corpus include 10.1021/acscatal.1c04672, 10.1021/acscatal.0c04158, and 10.1021/acscatal.2c01573. Citing any of these without acknowledging the retraction is an automatic publication-ethics flag, separate from AI-disclosure issues.
What can ACS Catalysis authors do to stay ahead of AI policy changes?
ACS's AI policy framework continues to evolve as 2026 brings new ICMJE recommendations, COPE guidance refinements, and journal-specific clarifications. ACS Catalysis authors targeting mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol submissions should track three signals throughout 2026:
Quarterly policy updates from ACS. ACS Publications AI Committee reviews the AI framework on a rolling basis. ACS Catalysis authors who pre-register their disclosure language at submission time tend to face fewer revisions during the 2026 transition period than authors who write boilerplate disclosures.
Field-specific clarifications for mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol. Different research domains see different AI use patterns. ACS Catalysis's editorial team has been refining what counts as "substantive AI use" versus "ancillary AI assistance" for mechanistic catalysis advance with reproducible experimental protocol work. Authors who err on the side of more disclosure rather than less avoid the publication-ethics gray zone.
Reviewer disclosure norms. As ACS extends AI-disclosure rules to peer reviewers, the response rate from ACS Catalysis reviewers may shift. Authors should expect that ACS Catalysis reviewers' use of AI tools is now also disclosed and factored into editorial decisions.
- Manusights internal preview corpus (150+ ACS Catalysis-targeted manuscripts, 2025 cohort)
Frequently asked questions
Yes, with mandatory disclosure. ACS Catalysis follows ACS's AI policy under the ICMJE + COPE framework. AI tools can be used for language editing, manuscript preparation, and analysis support, but all use must be disclosed in the Methods section. AI cannot be listed as an author, and human authors bear full responsibility for the content.
In the Methods section. Authors must name the specific AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT-4o, Claude 3.5 Sonnet), its version, and describe how it was used. The disclosure should confirm that all human authors reviewed and take responsibility for the AI-assisted content. ACS Catalysis's editorial team checks this disclosure during desk-screen.
No. ACS Catalysis prohibits AI-generated figures, schematics, and images intended to represent original research data. AI tools may assist with figure layout and labeling, but the underlying data and visualizations must come from the actual research. This rule is part of ACS's broader image-integrity policy.
ACS Catalysis treats undisclosed AI use as a publication-ethics violation following COPE guidelines. Consequences range from required correction to expression of concern or retraction, depending on severity. ACS may notify the authors' institution in serious cases.
The core requirements (disclosure in Methods, no AI authorship, no AI-generated figures) are consistent across ACS-published journals. ACS Catalysis applies these rules consistently with ACS's broader policy framework. The journal-specific element is enforcement intensity at desk-screen, which at ACS Catalysis is calibrated by acs catalysis reviewers expect detailed control experiments and explicit mechanistic assignment.
Sources
- ACS AI policy (accessed 2026-05-08)
- ACS Catalysis author guidelines (accessed 2026-05-08)
- ICMJE recommendations on AI use (accessed 2026-05-08)
- COPE guidance on AI in research publication (accessed 2026-05-08)
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