Plagiarism Policy

The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Knowledge (IJIK) is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical research practices. This policy outlines the IJIK stance on plagiarism and its procedures for handling suspected cases.

Definition of Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is the act of presenting someone else's work as your own, without proper citation or attribution. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Direct copying of text, data, or ideas from another source without proper citation.
  • Paraphrasing the work of others without acknowledging the original source.
  • Self-plagiarism, which involves reusing significant portions of your own previously published work without proper citation.
  • Mosaic plagiarism, which involves piecing together parts of different sources without proper citation.
  • Ghostwriting, where someone else writes your work for you and you claim it as your own.

Consequences of Plagiarism:

Any author found to have plagiarized in their submission to the IJIK will be subject to the following consequences:

  • Immediate rejection of the submitted manuscript.
  • Ineligibility for future submissions to the IJIK for a period of time determined by the editorial board.
  • Notification of the author's institution and relevant funding agencies, if applicable.
  • Public retraction of the published article (if applicable).

Responsibilities of Authors:

Authors submitting to the IJIK are responsible for:

  • Ensuring the originality of their work.
  • Citing all sources properly and accurately.
  • Obtaining permission to use copyrighted material.
  • Disclosing any potential conflicts of interest.

Procedures for Handling Plagiarism:

The IJIK editorial board takes all allegations of plagiarism seriously. The following procedures will be followed in the event of a suspected case:

  • The editor will investigate the allegation.
  • The author will be given the opportunity to respond to the allegation.
  • The editorial board will make a final decision on whether plagiarism has occurred.
  • The author will be informed of the decision and the consequences, if applicable.

    Mandatory Screening & Similarity Software (Turnitin / iThenticate)

  • Mandatory Similarity Screening & Software

    Mandatory Plagiarism Screening & Policy All submitted manuscripts undergo mandatory plagiarism screening using Turnitin  at the initial Desk Review stage (before initiating the double-blind peer review).

    • Maximum Permissible Similarity Index: Below 19% overall.

    • Single-Source Threshold: Maximum 5% match from a single source.

    Manuscripts exceeding these thresholds will be returned for revision or rejected in accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.

    Manuscripts exceeding these thresholds to authors for revision or rejected outright depending on the severity of unattributed overlap.

    All incoming manuscripts are subjected to mandatory similarity and plagiarism screening prior to initiating the double-blind peer-review process

  • Screening Tool: IJIK utilizes industry-standard similarity detection software, including Turnitin to detect text overlap and unoriginal content.

  • Screening Stage: Initial screening is conducted during the Desk Review stage. A follow-up check may be performed prior to final publication.

    Acceptable Similarity Thresholds:

    • Overall Similarity Index: The overall similarity index must be less than 19%.

    • Single-Source Match: Text match from a single published source must not exceed 5%.

    • Exclusions: The automated similarity report excludes matches found in:

      • Properly cited References / Bibliography.

      • Standard scientific terms and methodology names.

      • Quotations enclosed in quotation marks with explicit citations.

     Forms of Plagiarism Covered

    The software screening and editorial evaluation cover all forms of textual and conceptual plagiarism, including:

    1. Direct Plagiarism: Copying text verbatim from another source without quotation marks or proper citation.

    2. Self-Plagiarism / Text Recycling: Reusing substantial parts of the author’s own previously published work without explicit acknowledgment.

    3. Mosaic / Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rearranging or substituting words while retaining the original text structure without proper attribution.

    4. Duplicate Submission: Submitting the same manuscript simultaneously to multiple journals.

      Action on Misconduct & Editorial Workflow

      Depending on the severity of similarity detected by Turnitin/iThenticate:

      • Minor Overlap (19%–25% due to minor paraphrasing): The manuscript is returned to the author(s) with the Turnitin similarity report for revision and proper citation before proceeding to peer review.

      • Major Plagiarism (>25% or direct uncredited copying): The manuscript is rejected outright at the desk review stage without peer review.

      • Post-Publication Plagiarism: If plagiarism is identified post-publication, an internal investigation will be initiated. Confirmed cases will result in an Article Retraction or Expression of Concern in accordance with COPE guidelines.

      • AI-Generated Text & AI Detection

        In alignment with Turnitin’s AI writing detection tools, manuscripts generated predominantly using Artificial Intelligence (AI/LLMs) without substantial human scholarly contribution or proper declaration are strictly prohibited.

        Key Highlights for Website Update:

        1. Turnitin / iThenticate Mention: Clarivate & Higher Education authorities inspect whether the journal explicitly names its plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin/iThenticate).

        2. Clear Percentages: Explicitly defining maximum percentages (<19% overall, <5% single source) gives clarity to submitting authors.

        3. COPE Compliance: Link this policy to COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines on your website.