Plagiarism

7.1 Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:

Using others' ideas, words, or work without proper attribution
Self-plagiarism or duplicate publication
Improper paraphrasing without citation
Fabrication or falsification of data
Unauthorized collaboration

7.2 Detection Methods

All submissions screened using plagiarism detection software
Similarity index threshold: Maximum 20% overall, 3% from single source
Manual review of flagged content
Cross-referencing with published literature

7.3 Consequences

Minor plagiarism: Author required to revise and resubmit
Moderate plagiarism: Manuscript rejected with option to resubmit
Severe plagiarism: Manuscript rejected, author banned from submission
Published articles: Retraction notice and indexing removal

7.4 Prevention Measures

Clear citation and referencing guidelines
Education on proper attribution practices
Plagiarism detection at multiple review stages
Regular updates to detection software