BalangAI Reframed Thesis Series

Professional Submission and Editorial Guidelines

1. Purpose

The BalangAI Reframed Thesis Series transforms high-quality practitioner research—particularly MNSA theses and equivalent command-and-staff research—into updated, accessible, and policy-relevant analysis for public discourse.

This Series addresses a persistent gap: many strong theses are completed and defended, but remain archived and rarely converted into policy-facing outputs that decision-makers and the public can readily use.

2. What “Reframing” Means

Reframing is not republishing a thesis. It is the conversion of academic research into a publishable policy article by:

  • Updating evidence where needed (data, cases, policy context)
  • Translating academic prose into clear, professional, public-facing analysis
  • Amplifying practitioner insight through publication and distribution

Non-negotiable principle: The author’s core argument and conclusions remain the author’s.

3. Eligibility

Eligible source materials include:

  • Master in National Security Administration (MNSA) theses or equivalent (Philippine Public Safety College or foreign military papers)
  • Command and General Staff College (CGSC) papers or equivalent
  • Defense- and security-related dissertations
  • Policy research papers from government/research institutions (subject to review)

All submissions must be:

  1. Practitioner-grounded — informed by institutional/operational experience
  2. Policy-relevant — addresses an urgent or enduring issue with actionable implications
  3. Evidence-based — claims are verifiable and supported by data, cases, or documented sources
  4. Publishable and safe — unclassified and suitable for public release

BalangAI reserves the right to decline submissions that do not meet these standards.

4. Submission Requirements and Pathways

Pathway A — Standard Submission (Preferred)

Submit a proposed reframed article ready for editorial review.

Required package:

  • Proposed reframed article (recommended 2,000–3,000 words)
  • Original thesis/paper e-copy (PDF/Word)
  • Executive abstract (150–250 words)
  • Attribution preference (see Section 8)
  • Disclosure statement (see Section 9, including conflicts of interest where applicable)

Pathway B — Assisted Reframing Submission

For authors who prefer not to draft the reframed version, submit the thesis/paper e-copy and BalangAI will provide a reframing recommendation.

Required package:

  • Original thesis/paper e-copy (PDF/Word; clean and readable)
  • Abstract (thesis abstract is acceptable)
  • Attribution preference
  • Optional: key findings and recommended emphasis (bullet form)

BalangAI output under this pathway:

  • Recommended reframing angle and target audience
  • Proposed outline and article structure
  • Key updates recommended (data, cases, policy context)
  • Drafting expectations and suggested timeline if author proceeds to publication

Note: Assisted reframing does not mean BalangAI becomes the author. It means BalangAI provides structured editorial direction so the author can proceed efficiently.

5. Editorial and Publication Process (Streamlined)

Step 1 — Submission and Initial Assessment

BalangAI screens submissions for:

  • Relevance and contribution
  • Coherence of argument and structure
  • Sourcing discipline and verifiability
  • Publishability and safety (OPSEC/institutional sensitivity)
  • Compliance with Series standards

Outcome: accept for editorial processing, return for revision, or decline with brief rationale.

Step 2 — Editorial Review and Author Revision

BalangAI provides editorial input focused on:

  • Clarity, readability, and structure
  • Tightening arguments and improving flow
  • Sourcing gaps and claims that require evidence
  • Tone, balance, and professionalism
  • Safety checks (OPSEC, sensitive details, institutional considerations)

The author revises and confirms accuracy.

Step 3 — Final Clearance and Publication

Publication proceeds only upon:

  • Author’s final approval of the publish-ready version
  • Confirmation of attribution and disclosures
  • Final editorial compliance checks

Nothing is published without author approval.

6. Roles, Responsibilities, and Boundaries

Author Responsibilities

The author remains the content owner and is responsible for:

  • The argument, conclusions, and policy implications
  • Factual accuracy and defensibility of all claims
  • Validity and integrity of citations and references
  • Ensuring the submission is publishable (unclassified; no sensitive operational detail)

BalangAI Responsibilities

BalangAI functions as editor and platform, responsible for:

  • Editorial structure and public-facing translation
  • Readability, consistency, and professional presentation
  • Publication formatting and distribution
  • Enforcement of safety and compliance standards

Clear Boundary

BalangAI will not:

  • Introduce substantive claims the author cannot support
  • Publish without author approval
  • Assume responsibility for technical accuracy in place of the author

7. Publication Standards

A. Professional Quality

Reframed articles must:

  • Be written for policy and public readership (clear, structured, scan-friendly)
  • Maintain professional tone and discipline
  • Avoid academic heaviness while preserving analytical integrity
  • Include actionable implications (not merely description)

B. Safety and Publishability (Non-Negotiable)

BalangAI will not publish content that:

  • Contains classified or restricted information
  • Discloses sensitive operational details, vulnerabilities, or unit-specific risk exposures
  • Identifies individuals in a manner that creates undue risk or legal exposure
  • Violates ethical or institutional standards of public communication

If a section is sensitive, BalangAI may require redaction or safe extraction of insights.

C. Sourcing and Verifiability

  • Claims must be supported by verifiable sources where appropriate.
  • Policy assertions should be distinguishable from evidence statements.
  • Where sources are not public (e.g., personal professional experience), the narrative must be written in a responsible, generalized manner that does not expose sensitive details.

8. Attribution Options

Authors choose their preferred attribution level:

  1. Full Attribution
    Name (and rank/affiliation if desired)
  2. Partial Attribution
    “Attributed to an MNSA graduate / a defense practitioner / an AFP officer” (as preferred)
  3. Anonymous Attribution
    Attribution withheld at the author’s request (subject to editorial acceptance)

BalangAI will respect attribution preference, subject to publication credibility and disclosure requirements.

9. AI-Assisted Editing, Disclosure, and Author Ownership

A. AI as Editorial Assistance

BalangAI recognizes that AI-enabled tools are increasingly used in professional writing and editing. In this Series, AI—whether used by the author or BalangAI—is treated as editorial assistance, comparable to working with a staff officer, researcher, or professional editor.

AI tools may support:

  • Improving clarity and readability
  • Organization and formatting
  • Translating academic prose into accessible policy writing
  • Identifying unclear claims and potential citation gaps (for author verification)

B. Author Ownership and Accountability

Regardless of AI assistance:

  • The ideas, thesis, analytical structure, and conclusions remain the author’s
  • The author retains full intellectual ownership
  • The author remains responsible for accuracy, sourcing, and defensibility
  • No article is published without the author’s final approval

C. High-Risk Uses Prohibited

AI tools must not be used to:

  • Fabricate facts, events, quotations, or data
  • Generate citations that are not verified
  • “Fill in” claims that the author cannot support
  • Rewrite sensitive details in a way that creates disclosure risk

D. Transparency Policy

BalangAI may maintain a site-level statement that AI-enabled tools are used for editorial support. Per-article AI disclosure may be used when AI assistance materially contributed to drafting or substantive restructuring beyond routine editing.

10. Rights, Permissions, and Archiving

  • The author retains copyright and intellectual ownership of the original thesis/paper and reframed article.
  • BalangAI receives a non-exclusive right to publish, distribute, and archive the reframed article on its platform.
  • Substantive changes require mutual consent.
  • Either party may request withdrawal/unpublishing for cause, subject to reasonable process and record-keeping.

11. Conflict of Interest and Professional Disclosure

Authors must disclose relevant conflicts such as:

  • Financial interests related to the topic
  • Professional roles that may reasonably be perceived as influencing analysis
  • Direct personal involvement in events discussed (as appropriate and safe)

BalangAI may require a disclosure note in the published article.

12. How to Submit

Submit the required package through BalangAI’s official submission channel (website form or designated email).

Include:

  • Proposed reframed article (Pathway A) or thesis e-copy (Pathway B)
  • Executive abstract
  • Attribution preference
  • Disclosure statement (including conflicts of interest, if any)

BalangAI will acknowledge receipt and provide next-step guidance.

Closing Statement

The Reframed Thesis Series is designed to ensure practitioner research does not end as an academic requirement. It enables high-value work—already produced by public officers and practitioners—to enter policy discourse in a form that is current, readable, and usable.

Author expertise drives the content. BalangAI provides editorial rigor and a credible platform.

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