Plagiarism and Text Recycling
The journal requires all submitted manuscripts to meet high standards of originality, proper attribution, transparency, and academic integrity. Plagiarism and inappropriate text recycling are unacceptable and may result in editorial action before or after publication.
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
- copying another person’s text without appropriate quotation and citation;
- close or substantial paraphrasing without proper attribution;
- presenting another person’s ideas, hypotheses, methods, data, results, tables, figures, images, or other intellectual contributions as one’s own;
- reproducing or translating previously published material without appropriate acknowledgement of the original source;
- using material obtained from unpublished manuscripts, correspondence, peer review, or other confidential sources without authorization and appropriate attribution.
Authors must clearly distinguish their own original contribution from previously published or otherwise available material and must provide accurate citations to all relevant sources.
Text recycling refers to the reuse of substantial portions of an author’s own previously published text without sufficient citation, acknowledgement, or transparency. Text recycling is assessed separately from plagiarism involving another person’s work and from duplicate or redundant publication involving substantial reuse of previously published data or findings.
Limited textual overlap may sometimes be unavoidable, particularly in descriptions of standard methods or established procedures. Such overlap is not assessed solely on the basis of its presence. The editors will consider the amount and location of the reused text, whether the original source has been acknowledged, the type of article, the scientific significance of the overlap, and any copyright implications. Reuse must never create a misleading impression that previously published material represents a new scientific contribution.
Submitted manuscripts are subject to similarity assessment as part of editorial screening. Appropriate similarity-detection tools and editorial review may be used to identify potentially unattributed or inappropriate overlap.
The journal does not use a single similarity percentage as an automatic criterion for acceptance or rejection. A similarity score does not by itself establish plagiarism. Similarity reports are evaluated in context, including quotations, references, standard terminology, methods, legitimately reused material, attribution, and the nature of the identified overlap.
Authors are expected to:
- appropriately quote, paraphrase, and cite material derived from other sources;
- cite their own relevant previously published work when text, methods, data, or other material is reused;
- disclose relevant prior publications or materials that substantially overlap with the submitted manuscript;
- obtain permission for reuse of copyrighted material when required;
- respond fully and transparently to editorial questions concerning possible plagiarism or text recycling.
When potentially inappropriate overlap is identified before publication, the journal may request an explanation, source materials, correction or rewriting of the manuscript, additional citation or disclosure, or may reject the manuscript when the concern is substantial.
If plagiarism or inappropriate text recycling is identified after publication, the journal will assess the nature and seriousness of the case and may issue a correction, expression of concern, or retraction, and may contact relevant institutions or other responsible bodies when justified.
Each case will be assessed individually, proportionately, and in accordance with the journal’s policies on Duplicate Publication, Research Misconduct, and Corrections and Retractions.