Plagiarism and AI Policy

1. Commitment to Ethical Publishing

The Journal is fully committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and research ethics, in line with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). All authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to uphold principles of honesty, transparency, and accountability in scholarly publishing. Plagiarism in any form, as well as undisclosed or unethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), is strictly prohibited.

2. Plagiarism Policy

2.1 Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the use of another author’s words, ideas, data, or creative expressions without proper acknowledgment. It includes, but is not limited to:

• Verbatim Copying: Reproducing text word-for-word without quotation marks and citation.
• Paraphrasing without Attribution: Rewording another’s work without acknowledgment.
• Self-Plagiarism (Redundant Publication): Reusing significant parts of one’s previously published work without citation or transparency.
• Image/Data Plagiarism: Reproducing figures, tables, datasets, or experimental results without proper source acknowledgment.
• Salami Slicing: Fragmenting a single dataset into multiple papers with minimal additional contribution.

2.2 Screening and Thresholds

• All manuscripts are checked using plagiarism detection softwarebefore being sent for peer review.
• A similarity index of less than 15%(excluding references, quotations, and standard methodological text) is generally acceptable. However, editorial discretion is applied depending on the context of overlap.
• Manuscripts with higher similarity will be returned to authors for revision or rejected outright.

2.3 Procedures for Handling Plagiarism

• During Submission: If plagiarism is detected, the manuscript will not proceed to review.
• During Review: Reviewers or editors who suspect plagiarism will notify the editorial office immediately.
• Post-Publication: Proven plagiarism after publication will result in retraction, with a notice published on the journal’s website, in accordance with COPE retraction guidelines.
• Authors found guilty of plagiarism may face sanctions, including ban on future submissions for a defined period.

3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy

3.1 Principles of Responsible AI Use

The Journal acknowledges the increasing role of AI technologies in research and academic writing. However, in line with COPE’s 2023 position statement and DOAJ’s transparency principles, the following ethical standards apply:

• AI as a Tool, Not an Author: AI tools (such as ChatGPT, Bard, MidJourney, etc.) cannot be listed as authors or co-authors. Authorship is reserved only for humans who take full responsibility for the integrity of the work.
• Disclosure Requirement: Authors must clearly disclose in the manuscript if AI tools were used for content generation, editing, data analysis, figure creation, or translation. This disclosure should appear in the Methods, Acknowledgments, or a dedicated AI Use Statement.
• Verification of Accuracy: Authors remain fully responsible for checking the accuracy of any AI-assisted content, including text, citations, and figures. Fabricated or unverifiable content generated by AI is not acceptable.

3.2 Acceptable Uses of AI

• Language Support: Grammar checks, spell corrections, and style improvements.
• Coding Assistance: Use of AI to debug or optimize code, provided it is reproducible and verifiable.
• Preliminary Drafting: Generating outlines or idea suggestions, as long as the final work is critically revised by the authors.

3.3 Prohibited Uses of AI

• Generating full manuscripts or substantial portions of text without disclosure.
• Using AI to fabricate references, data, or experimental outcomes.
• Employing AI-generated images, graphs, or figures without verification and transparency.
• Submitting AI-generated literature reviews or discussion sections as original scholarly interpretation.

3.4 Consequences of Misuse

Undisclosed or unethical use of AI will be treated as academic misconduct and investigated under COPE guidelines, which may result in:

• Immediate rejection or withdrawal of the manuscript.
• Retraction of published articles.
• Notification to the authors’ institution(s).
• Future submission restrictions for responsible authors.

4. Editorial Oversight and Transparency

The Editorial Board retains the right to request raw data, software code, or methodology details if AI involvement is suspected. In cases of doubt, the journal will follow COPE’s case handling flowcharts to ensure fair and transparent decisions.

5. Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting manuscripts affirm that:

1. The work is original and free from plagiarism.
2. Any AI tools used have been transparently disclosed.
3. The content has been thoroughly checked for accuracy and integrity.
4. They take full responsibility for the manuscript’s scholarly validity.
5. Final Statement

By enforcing a robust Plagiarism and AI Policy, the Journal ensures compliance with COPE’s ethical framework and DOAJ’s requirements for best practice in scholarly publishing. This not only safeguards the integrity of academic publishing but also promotes trust, transparency, and accountability in the global research community.