Plagiarism Policy
Journal Information
Plagiarism Policy
Biodiversity Reports, An International Journal (ISSN: 3117-8596) upholds the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. Plagiarism in any form constitutes a serious violation of scholarly ethics and is strictly prohibited. The journal is committed to publishing only original, authentic, and properly credited research in the fields of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Cultural Studies.
1. Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined as the presentation of another individual’s ideas, words, data, or creative expressions as one’s own without appropriate acknowledgment. This includes, but is not limited to:
Direct Plagiarism: Copying text, tables, figures, or any content verbatim without citation.
Mosaic Plagiarism: Incorporating phrases, concepts, or ideas from a source without proper credit.
Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one’s previously published work or substantial portions of it without disclosure or citation.
Data/Results Plagiarism: Using others’ data, survey results, or analyses without authorization or acknowledgment.
Improper Paraphrasing: Rewriting or summarizing another author’s work too closely to the original without citing the source.
Image/Media Plagiarism: Reproducing photographs, artworks, or audiovisual content without permission or proper attribution.
2. Plagiarism Detection
All manuscripts submitted to Acta Social Science & Humanities undergo a thorough plagiarism screening process using advanced similarity detection tools such as Turnitin, iThenticate, or equivalent software.
The editorial team carefully reviews the similarity report to distinguish between legitimate academic overlap (e.g., quotations, references, or standard phrases) and unethical duplication.
3. Acceptable Similarity Index
The journal permits a maximum similarity score of 15–20%, excluding quotations, references, and common academic terminology.
Manuscripts exceeding this limit will be returned to authors for revision or may be rejected, depending on the level and intent of overlap. Authors are strongly advised to check their work for similarity before submission.
4. Consequences of Plagiarism
If plagiarism is detected at any stage—submission, review, or after publication—the following actions may be taken:
Before Acceptance: Immediate rejection of the manuscript.
After Acceptance (Pre-Publication): Withdrawal of the article from the publication process.
After Publication: Formal retraction of the article with a publicly available retraction notice.
Additional actions may include:
Blacklisting of the authors from future submissions.
Notification to the authors’ institution or funding agencies.
Reporting to relevant ethical or academic bodies.
5. Responsibilities of Authors
Authors submitting to Acta Social Science & Humanities must:
- Ensure that all submissions are original and unpublished.
- Appropriately cite all data, quotations, and ideas taken from other sources.
- Avoid duplicate submissions to multiple journals simultaneously.
- Disclose any related or overlapping work previously published or under review.
6. Responsibilities of Reviewers and Editors
Reviewers should promptly report any suspected instances of plagiarism to the Editorial Office.
Editors will verify all claims of plagiarism and take action in accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.
The Editorial Board reserves the right to make the final decision regarding any plagiarism-related case.
7. Policy on Self-Plagiarism
Authors must avoid substantial overlap between new submissions and their previously published work.
Limited reuse of text (for example, in the literature review or methodology sections) is acceptable if properly cited. Republishing identical or near-identical content in multiple venues is not permitted.
8. Appeals and Clarifications
Authors wishing to appeal a plagiarism decision may submit a formal written request to the Editorial Office.
The case will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and the Ethics Committee, whose decision will be final and binding.