Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic and scientific integrity that undermines the credibility of research and publications. The Journal of Science (JoS) is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards and strictly prohibits all forms of plagiarism. Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to adhere to the following plagiarism policy:
1. Definition of Plagiarism:
- Plagiarism refers to the act of presenting someone else's work, ideas, words, or intellectual property as one's own without proper attribution or citation. It includes, but is not limited to, the following forms:
- Direct copying and pasting of text without quotation marks and proper citation.
- Paraphrasing or rephrasing someone else's work without appropriate acknowledgment.
- Self-plagiarism, which involves reusing one's own previously published work without proper citation and disclosure.
2. Originality and Proper Attribution:
- Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submitted manuscripts are original and do not contain any plagiarized content.
- Proper citation and referencing of sources, including text, data, figures, and ideas, must be provided for all external materials used in the manuscript.
3. Plagiarism Screening:
- JoS employs plagiarism detection tools to screen all submitted manuscripts for potential instances of plagiarism.
- Authors are encouraged to conduct their own plagiarism checks and ensure that their submissions meet the journal's originality requirements before submission.
4. Consequences of Plagiarism:
- If plagiarism or significant instances of similarity with other works are identified, the manuscript will be immediately rejected, and the authors will be notified.
- In cases of self-plagiarism or simultaneous submission of substantially similar work to multiple publications, the manuscript will be rejected, and the authors may be subject to sanctions, including a temporary or permanent ban on future submissions to JoS.
5. Corrections and Retractions:
- If plagiarism is detected in a published article, JoS will take immediate corrective action, which may include issuing a correction, retraction, or clarification as necessary.
6. Reporting Plagiarism:
- JoS encourages readers, reviewers, and the academic community to report any suspected cases of plagiarism observed in published articles to the journal's editorial office for investigation.
7. Ethical Responsibilities:
- Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to uphold the highest ethical standards and actively prevent, identify, and report any instances of plagiarism.
- Reviewers and editors should promptly inform the editorial office of any concerns about potential plagiarism during the review process.
By adhering to this plagiarism policy, the Journal of Science seeks to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record, uphold the principles of academic honesty, and ensure that all published work is the result of original research and scholarship. Violations of this policy may result in immediate rejection of manuscripts, sanctions against authors, and the protection of the journal's credibility and reputation.