Plagiarism Policy
The International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. Plagiarism, in any form, undermines the principles of scholarly research and the credibility of scientific discourse. This Plagiarism Policy outlines our stance on plagiarism, the procedures for addressing it, and the consequences for violations.
Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined as the act of using another individual’s ideas, words, data, figures, or intellectual property without proper acknowledgment or permission, presenting them as one’s own. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Verbatim copying of text from another source without quotation marks and appropriate citation.
- Paraphrasing or rephrasing someone else’s work without giving due credit.
- Reproducing tables, images, or other materials without permission and attribution.
- Self-plagiarism, i.e., submitting previously published work (in whole or in part) without disclosure or proper citation.
- Failing to acknowledge the contributions of co-authors, collaborators, or other sources of intellectual input.
Policy Statement
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) strictly prohibits plagiarism in all submitted manuscripts. All submissions must represent original work by the authors and must appropriately cite or quote any material derived from other sources. Authors are responsible for ensuring that their work complies with ethical standards and does not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others.
Detection Process
- Screening: All manuscripts submitted to International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) undergo a rigorous plagiarism check using industry-standard plagiarism detection software.
- Manual Review: In addition to automated tools, the editorial team conducts a manual review to identify potential instances of plagiarism that may not be detected by software, such as uncredited paraphrasing or misuse of ideas.
- Threshold: Manuscripts with a similarity index exceeding 10% (excluding references and common phrases) will be flagged for further scrutiny. However, any instance of plagiarism, regardless of percentage, will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Consequences of Plagiarism
If plagiarism is detected at any stage of the publication process, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) will take the following actions depending on the severity and context:
- Pre-Publication:
- Minor cases (e.g., unintentional failure to cite): Authors will be notified and given an opportunity to revise and resubmit their manuscript with proper attribution.
- Major cases (e.g., extensive copying or deliberate misconduct): The manuscript will be rejected outright, and the authors may be barred from submitting to International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) for a specified period.
- Post-Publication:
- If plagiarism is identified after publication, the article will be retracted. A retraction notice will be published, and the article will be marked as retracted in all online and print versions of the journal.
- The authors’ institutions and/or funding bodies may be informed of the violation.
- Additional Sanctions: Repeated or egregious violations may result in a permanent ban on the author(s) from publishing in International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) and notification to other academic journals or professional bodies.
Author Responsibilities
Authors submitting to International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) are expected to:
- Ensure that their work is original and has not been published elsewhere, unless explicitly disclosed and permitted (e.g., conference proceedings).
- Provide accurate citations for all sources used in their manuscript.
- Obtain permission for the use of copyrighted material where applicable.
- Disclose any prior use of their own work to avoid self-plagiarism.
- Declare any conflicts of interest that may affect the integrity of their submission.
Appeals and Disputes
Authors who believe their work has been unfairly flagged for plagiarism may appeal the decision by submitting a written explanation to the Editorial Board within 14 days of notification. The appeal will be reviewed by an independent panel, and a final decision will be communicated to the author(s).
Commitment to Education
International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) is dedicated to fostering ethical research practices. We encourage authors to familiarize themselves with proper citation standards and plagiarism prevention guidelines. Resources and support are available on our website to assist authors in maintaining academic integrity.
Contact
For questions regarding this policy or to report suspected plagiarism, please contact the International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) Editorial Office at editor@ijsr.net
The International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) reserves the right to update this policy as needed to reflect evolving standards in academic publishing.
Regards,
Editorial Team, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)