Plagiarism Policy

  1. Statement and Policy

The journal upholds academic integrity and applies a strict policy against plagiarism. All manuscripts submitted for publication must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration for publication in another journal.

Plagiarism is defined as the use of another person's ideas, words, data, figures, tables, or other intellectual work without appropriate acknowledgment, presenting them as one's own work.

Any text reproduced verbatim from another source must be clearly identified through quotation marks or block quotations, accompanied by appropriate citations. The reproduction of substantial text, figures, tables, or other copyrighted materials requires permission from the copyright holder where applicable.

All submitted manuscripts will be screened for text similarity using plagiarism-detection software, such as iThenticate or Turnitin, subject to availability. The editorial team will evaluate the similarity report and determine the appropriate action based on the nature, extent, and context of the identified overlap.

  1. Similarity Index and Editorial Actions

The journal uses the following similarity-index thresholds as initial screening guidelines:

  1. Similarity index below 15%. The manuscript may proceed to editorial assessment if the references and citations are appropriate and no evidence of plagiarism is identified. Further revisions may be requested when necessary.
  2. Similarity index of 15% to 40%. The manuscript will be evaluated carefully by the editorial team. Authors may be required to revise overlapping sections, improve paraphrasing, and provide appropriate citations. The revised manuscript must undergo further similarity screening before proceeding.
  3. Similarity index above 40%. The manuscript may be rejected if the report indicates extensive unattributed copying, inadequate paraphrasing, or other serious publication-ethics concerns.

These thresholds serve as screening guidelines and do not automatically determine whether plagiarism has occurred. The editorial team reserves the right to reject a manuscript regardless of its similarity index if serious plagiarism or other publication misconduct is established.

  1. Plagiarism, Similarity, and Paraphrasing

Text similarity does not necessarily constitute plagiarism. Similarity may arise from properly cited quotations, technical terminology, standard methodological descriptions, references, or commonly used expressions.

Authors must ensure that ideas and findings obtained from other sources are properly cited. Paraphrasing must accurately represent the original meaning and must not be used to conceal the source of another author's work.

The editorial team will assess the context of overlapping text, the sources involved, the adequacy of citations, and the originality of the manuscript's intellectual contribution.

 

  1. Self-Plagiarism and Duplicate Publication

Authors must not submit manuscripts that substantially reproduce their previously published work without proper acknowledgment and disclosure.

Any reused text, figures, tables, datasets, or other materials from an author's previous publications must be appropriately cited. Permission from the relevant copyright holder must be obtained when required.

Manuscripts submitted simultaneously to multiple journals are not permitted. Submissions that substantially overlap with previously published articles or other manuscripts under consideration may be rejected.

Manuscripts developed from conference papers must disclose the original conference publication and clearly explain the additional contribution of the journal manuscript. Acceptance is subject to the journal's editorial policy, the originality of the new contribution, and any applicable copyright requirements.

  1. Actions in Cases of Plagiarism

When plagiarism or other forms of publication misconduct are suspected, the editorial team will evaluate the available evidence and may take one or more of the following actions:

  1. Request an explanation or clarification from the authors.
  2. Return the manuscript for correction or substantial revision.
  3. Reject the manuscript if serious misconduct is identified.
  4. Suspend the editorial process while the case is investigated.
  5. Contact the authors' affiliated institutions when warranted.
  6. Issue a correction, expression of concern, or retraction if misconduct is confirmed after publication.

Repeated or severe violations may result in restrictions on future submissions, subject to editorial review and the journal's publication-ethics procedures.

  1. Authors' Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for ensuring the originality and integrity of their manuscripts. By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that they have appropriately acknowledged all sources, obtained necessary permissions, disclosed relevant prior publications, and complied with the journal's publication-ethics requirements.

Submission of a manuscript constitutes acceptance of this Plagiarism Policy.

  1. Editorial Responsibility

The editorial team is responsible for conducting similarity screening, assessing suspected plagiarism, and applying this policy consistently and fairly. All cases will be handled in accordance with the journal's publication-ethics procedures and relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).