Anti-plagiarism policy

Plagiarism and Originality Policy

The journal is committed to promoting original scholarly work and upholding the highest standards of academic integrity. All manuscripts submitted for publication must be original, unpublished, and must not have been previously published, in whole or in part, in any format. The journal does not participate in the editorial evaluation or decision-making processes of other journals or publications.

Plagiarism Detection Tools

To enforce its originality standards, the journal systematically screens all submitted manuscripts using recognized plagiarism detection software, specifically iThenticate (Crossref Similarity Check) and Turnitin. These tools are used as a routine and mandatory part of the editorial assessment process.

Similarity screening is conducted prior to the start of peer review and, when necessary, at additional stages of the editorial process.

Textual Similarity versus Plagiarism

The journal recognizes that a similarity report does not automatically indicate plagiarism. Textual similarity may result from legitimate academic practices, such as:

  • Properly cited quotations

  • Standard methodological descriptions

  • References, bibliographies, or commonly used terminology

  • Previously published materials correctly attributed

Plagiarism, by contrast, involves the use of another person’s ideas, data, words, or intellectual output without appropriate attribution, including copying, close paraphrasing, or reusing content from published or unpublished sources without proper citation. Self-plagiarism, defined as the reuse of substantial portions of an author’s own previously published work without appropriate acknowledgment, is also considered unethical.

Editorial Assessment of Similarity Reports

All similarity reports are qualitatively analyzed by the editorial team. The assessment focuses not only on the overall similarity percentage but also on the nature, location, and context of the overlapping text.

When a similarity index exceeds 20%, authors are notified by email and provided with the complete similarity report along with an editorial assessment. Authors are given the opportunity to submit explanations or clarifications so that the journal can determine whether the similarity reflects acceptable academic practice or constitutes plagiarism.

Editorial Decisions and Actions

Based on the qualitative analysis:

  • If the similarity is deemed acceptable and properly referenced, the manuscript may proceed to peer review.

  • If minor issues related to citation or attribution are identified, the manuscript may be returned to the authors for revision. Authors are normally granted one opportunity to address these issues, after which the revised manuscript is re-evaluated using plagiarism detection software.

  • If plagiarism, self-plagiarism, or unethical reuse of content is confirmed, the manuscript will be rejected and will not enter or continue in the peer review process.

Detection of plagiarism at any stage of the editorial or publication process may result in rejection, retraction, or other editorial actions in accordance with publication ethics guidelines.

Author Responsibility and Prevention

Authors are responsible for ensuring the originality of their submissions and for providing accurate in-text citations and references for all sources used. The journal may recommend external tools or resources to authors so they can check their manuscripts for similarity prior to submission.

Reporting Suspected Plagiarism

The journal encourages reviewers, readers, and members of the academic community to report any suspected cases of plagiarism or unethical publication practices. All reports are handled confidentially, and appropriate actions are taken following editorial review and established ethical procedures.