Plagiarism and Similarity Policy

Plagiarism and Similarity Policy

All manuscripts submitted to the journal undergo mandatory plagiarism and similarity screening before entering the peer-review process and, when deemed necessary, at subsequent stages of the editorial workflow. For this purpose, the journal uses Turnitin and iThenticate as its official plagiarism detection tools.

Similarity reports generated by these systems are reviewed by the editorial team through a qualitative and contextual assessment. Similarity percentages serve as indicators to support editorial decision-making but do not, by themselves, determine the acceptance or rejection of a manuscript. Nevertheless, the journal applies the following guiding thresholds:

• Similarity Index up to 15%

  Generally considered acceptable, provided that the identified matches consist of properly cited references, quotations, methodological descriptions, or standard technical terminology appropriately acknowledged.

• Similarity Index between 16% and 25%

  Requires further editorial evaluation. In such cases, authors may be requested to revise the manuscript to reduce overlapping text, improve paraphrasing, or correct citation practices before the editorial process can proceed.

• Similarity Index between 26% and 40%

  Considered a significant level of similarity. Depending on the nature, location, and extent of the overlap identified, the manuscript may be returned to the authors for substantial revision or rejected by the editorial team.

• Similarity Index above 40%

  Considered inconsistent with the journal’s editorial standards and may indicate plagiarism or redundant publication. Manuscripts within this range will normally be rejected without peer review. If such issues are discovered after publication, the article may be subject to retraction.

Regardless of the overall similarity percentage, the journal reserves the right to reject a manuscript when any of the following practices are identified:

• Reproduction of text, ideas, data, images, or figures without proper attribution.

• Plagiarism in essential sections of the manuscript, including the results, discussion, or conclusions.

• Self-plagiarism or duplicate publication without appropriate citation, justification, or transparency.

• Improper reuse of previously published material under incompatible licensing conditions.

When plagiarism, self-plagiarism, or redundant publication is suspected, the editorial team will conduct an investigation in accordance with the principles of academic integrity and publication ethics. Authors will be given the opportunity to provide explanations or supporting documentation.

Depending on the severity and nature of the case, editorial actions may include requests for revision, manuscript rejection, notification of the authors’ affiliated institutions, publication of corrections, or article retraction.

By submitting a manuscript, authors affirm that the work is original, that all sources have been appropriately acknowledged, and that the content fully complies with this plagiarism and similarity policy. Failure to adhere to these requirements will be considered a violation of publication ethics.