Plagiarism

Plagiarism, which is the act of presenting someone else's work or ideas as one's own without proper attribution, is considered a serious offense in academic publishing. To maintain the integrity of scholarly work, it is crucial for authors to understand and adhere to ethical standards regarding plagiarism. This guide outlines the expectations and best practices for authors when using Turnitin, a widely-used plagiarism detection tool, with a maximum similarity level of 25%.

1. Understanding Plagiarism:

  • Plagiarism can take various forms, including verbatim copying, paraphrasing without proper citation, self-plagiarism (reusing one's own previously published work without attribution), and failure to properly attribute ideas or concepts.
  • Ignorance of plagiarism rules or unintentional plagiarism is not an acceptable excuse and can still lead to serious consequences.

2. Turnitin and Similarity Scores:

  • Turnitin is a widely used software that compares submitted work against a vast database of published materials, internet sources, and previously submitted works to detect potential plagiarism.
  • The similarity score generated by Turnitin represents the percentage of text in the submitted work that matches other sources in the database.
  •  A maximum similarity score of 25% is generally considered acceptable, but this threshold may vary depending on the journal's specific guidelines.

3. Interpreting Similarity Reports:

  • It is essential to carefully review and analyze the Turnitin similarity report, as not all matched text constitutes plagiarism.
  • Properly cited quotations, references, and common phrases or terminology may contribute to the similarity score but do not necessarily indicate plagiarism.
  • Authors should focus on addressing any significant uncited matches or improperly paraphrased content.

4. Proper Citation and Referencing:

  • To avoid plagiarism, authors must properly cite and reference all sources used in their work, including verbatim quotations, paraphrased content, ideas, theories, data, and figures.
  • Follow the citation style specified by the journal or academic discipline, and ensure that all references are accurately formatted and complete.

5. Paraphrasing and Attribution:

  • When paraphrasing or summarizing ideas from other sources, it is crucial to use your own words and sentence structure while accurately conveying the original meaning.
  • Even when paraphrasing, proper attribution to the original source(s) is required to avoid allegations of plagiarism.

6. Self-Plagiarism:

  • Authors should be cautious about reusing substantial portions of their previously published work without proper attribution and citation.
  • Self-plagiarism can arise from republishing the same content in multiple journals or reusing large sections of text from previous publications.
  • Consult the journal's guidelines and seek permission if necessary before reusing significant portions of previously published work.

7. Ethical Considerations:

  • Maintaining academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism is not only a matter of adhering to rules but also a matter of ethical responsibility.
  • Authors should strive to produce original work, give proper credit to others' contributions, and uphold the values of honesty, transparency, and respect for intellectual property.