Plagiarism Policy

1. Definition of Plagiarism:

  • Plagiarism is the act of using someone else's work, ideas, or intellectual property without proper attribution. This includes, but is not limited to:
    • Copying text directly from another source without citation.
    • Paraphrasing another person's work without proper acknowledgment.
    • Using figures, tables, images, or data from other sources without proper permission or citation.
    • Submitting a manuscript that has been previously published or is under review elsewhere (duplicate publication or self-plagiarism).
    • Fabricating or falsifying research data or results.

2. Prevention of Plagiarism:

  • Author Responsibility: Authors are required to ensure that their submissions are original and free from plagiarism. All sources of data, ideas, or text that are not their own must be properly cited or acknowledged.
  • Plagiarism Detection: To prevent plagiarism, Scientific Research Reports (SRR) utilizes plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin or iThenticate) to screen all submitted manuscripts. This is done before the peer review process to identify instances of plagiarism or excessive similarity with previously published works.

3. Ethical Standards:

  • Citing Sources: Authors must provide proper citations for any work or ideas that are not their own. This includes direct quotes, paraphrases, and references to previously published data or figures. All sources should be cited in accordance with the journal’s referencing style.
  • Transparency: If an author uses substantial portions of their previous work (self-plagiarism), this must be clearly disclosed and properly cited to avoid misrepresentation of originality.
  • Ethical Research Practices: Authors should follow ethical guidelines in the conduct of their research, including ensuring the integrity of the data and respecting intellectual property rights.

4. Consequences of Plagiarism:

  • Minor Plagiarism: If minor plagiarism or improper citation is detected, the author will be asked to correct the manuscript by properly citing the sources or rewording the content. The revised manuscript will be re-evaluated.
  • Serious Plagiarism: If serious plagiarism is identified, the manuscript will be rejected outright. The author will be notified of the decision, and the manuscript will not be considered for future submission.
  • Repeated Offenses: Authors who repeatedly engage in plagiarism may be banned from submitting manuscripts to SRR and reported to their affiliated institution for further action.
  • Institutional Reporting: In cases of severe plagiarism or ethical violations, SRR reserves the right to report the issue to the author’s affiliated institution, funding agencies, or relevant academic bodies.

5. Self-Plagiarism:

  • Definition: Self-plagiarism refers to the practice of reusing large portions of one's own previously published work without proper citation or permission.
  • Policy on Self-Plagiarism: Authors are prohibited from submitting the same manuscript or substantial portions of it to multiple journals without proper acknowledgment. If an article overlaps with the author's previous work, this should be disclosed, and appropriate citations should be provided.

6. Reviewers’ Role in Detecting Plagiarism:

  • Reviewer Responsibility: Reviewers are encouraged to report any suspected instances of plagiarism or unethical practices they may encounter while reviewing a manuscript. Reviewers are expected to report these issues to the editorial team for further investigation.
  • Ethical Review Process: Reviewers should assess the manuscript for signs of plagiarism or unethical data manipulation during the review process. If plagiarism is suspected, the manuscript should be flagged and the issue thoroughly investigated.

7. Author Disclosure:

  • Conflict of Interest and Prior Work: Authors must disclose any prior publications or overlapping content that may raise concerns about self-plagiarism or redundancy. This disclosure should include manuscripts that may have been submitted to other journals or are under review elsewhere.
  • Accurate Acknowledgment: Authors must ensure that all contributors to the manuscript are properly acknowledged and that no undisclosed contributions are made.

8. Appeals Process:

  • Dispute Resolution: If an author disagrees with the plagiarism decision, they can appeal by submitting a formal request to the editorial board. The appeal will be reviewed, and a final decision will be made based on the facts and evidence provided.

9. Commitment to Ethical Publishing:

  • Commitment to Integrity: Scientific Research Reports (SRR) is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and will take all necessary steps to maintain a plagiarism-free environment. The journal will act decisively to ensure that the published research is accurate, original, and credible.