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Plagiarism Policy
Journal of Pharmacy and Halal Studies (JPHS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics and scientific integrity. JPHS considers plagiarism in any form to be unethical and unacceptable. All submissions must be original and properly acknowledge the work of others.
1. Definition and Scope
Plagiarism refers to presenting another person’s words, ideas, data, images, or other intellectual outputs as one’s own without appropriate attribution. JPHS treats the following as serious ethical violations:
- Direct plagiarism: verbatim copying of text without quotation and citation.
- Mosaic/patchwork plagiarism: copying phrases/structures from one or more sources with minor alterations, without proper attribution.
- Paraphrasing plagiarism: rewording another source while retaining the original meaning/logic without citation.
- Self-plagiarism / text recycling: substantial reuse of the authors’ own previously disseminated text, tables, figures, or results without transparent disclosure and appropriate citation.
- Redundant/duplicate publication: submitting or publishing work that substantially overlaps with already published or concurrently submitted manuscripts without clear disclosure and justification.
- Data/figure/image plagiarism: reuse of figures, graphics, images, datasets, or substantial parts of datasets without permission (when required) and without proper attribution, including inappropriate manipulation that misrepresents results.
2. Similarity Screening
All manuscripts submitted to JPHS may be screened for originality using similarity-detection tools (e.g., Crossref Similarity Check powered by iThenticate, Turnitin, or equivalent services). Similarity reports are assessed by the editorial team and interpreted contextually; a similarity percentage alone does not automatically indicate plagiarism.
As an editorial benchmark (not an absolute rule), JPHS generally expects:
- Total similarity to be within a reasonable range after excluding references/bibliography, commonly used phrases, and legitimate quotations.
- Single-source overlap to be minimal unless clearly justified (e.g., properly cited methodological standards, reporting guidelines).
Note: Legitimate overlap can occur (e.g., standardized methods, regulatory terminology, reporting templates). Editors will evaluate whether overlap is properly cited, appropriately quoted, and scientifically justified.
3. Author Responsibilities
By submitting to JPHS, authors confirm that:
- The manuscript is original and has not been published elsewhere in the same or substantially similar form.
- All sources are properly cited, including datasets, preprints, theses/dissertations, conference papers, and translated materials (when applicable).
- Any reused material (text, tables, figures, instruments, images) is clearly identified, appropriately cited, and accompanied by written permission where required.
- Any related manuscripts (published, in press, or under review) that overlap with the submission are disclosed to the editor at the time of submission, with an explanation of novelty and differences.
4. Editorial Assessment and Actions
When potential plagiarism or excessive overlap is suspected, JPHS may take one or more of the following actions, depending on severity and intent:
- Minor overlap (improper citation/quotation, limited text issues): request revision, correction of citations, and/or improved paraphrasing before peer review.
- Moderate overlap (substantial unattributed overlap, questionable text recycling): return to authors for detailed explanation and major revision, or reject.
- Major plagiarism or redundancy (extensive copying, duplicate publication, data/figure plagiarism, systematic misconduct): immediate rejection and potential notification to authors’ institutions/funders, and/or other journals/publishers where relevant.
JPHS follows recognized best-practice guidance for handling suspected plagiarism in submitted and published articles, including escalation pathways and documentation of editorial decisions.
5. Post-Publication Issues (Corrections and Retractions)
If plagiarism, redundant publication, or unethical reuse is discovered after publication, JPHS will investigate promptly. Outcomes may include:
- Correction (e.g., missing citations, attribution errors) where the scientific record remains reliable.
- Expression of Concern where an investigation is ongoing and readers should be alerted.
- Retraction for confirmed major plagiarism, redundant publication, or integrity-compromising misconduct. Retraction notices will be linked to the original article to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.
6. Sanctions
In confirmed cases of serious misconduct, JPHS may apply sanctions, including (but not limited to) rejection, retraction, banning submissions for a defined period, and notification to relevant stakeholders (institutions, funders, or other journals), consistent with publication ethics norms.
7. Right to Respond and Appeals
Authors will be given an opportunity to respond to allegations and provide clarification or documentation. Appeals may be submitted in writing to the editorial office with supporting evidence. Final decisions rest with the Editor-in-Chief.
8. Policy Updates
JPHS may update this policy periodically to reflect evolving best practices in research integrity, publishing ethics, and similarity-screening technologies.
