Plagiarism Policy

The International Journal of Information Technology and Computer Engineering (IJITCE) is committed to maintaining high standards of academic integrity, originality, and ethical research publication. Plagiarism is considered a serious violation of scholarly ethics and will not be tolerated.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the unethical act of using another author’s ideas, processes, results, or words without proper acknowledgment of the original source. This includes the use of published or unpublished material without appropriate citation.

Plagiarism may also occur when authors reuse significant portions of their own previously published work without proper referencing or disclosure. This practice is commonly referred to as self-plagiarism.

Examples of plagiarism include:

·       Copying text, data, or ideas from another source without proper citation.

·       Presenting another researcher’s work as one’s own.

·       Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously or publishing substantially the same research more than once without appropriate disclosure.

·       Reusing previously published work without proper acknowledgment.

Acceptable Similarity Limit

All manuscripts submitted to IJITCE are subject to plagiarism screening using reliable plagiarism detection tools, such as Turnitin or equivalent software.

The maximum acceptable similarity index is 15%, excluding references, properly identified quotations, and commonly used technical terms, where applicable. The similarity percentage is only an initial screening indicator; the editorial team will examine the similarity report to assess the nature, source, and context of any overlap.

Manuscripts exceeding this limit may be returned to the authors for revision or rejected, depending on the severity and nature of the overlap.

Types of Plagiarism

IJITCE recognizes the following forms of plagiarism:

Full Plagiarism

Full plagiarism occurs when a manuscript is copied entirely or substantially from an existing published or unpublished work without proper acknowledgment. This includes presenting another author’s research as one’s own.

Partial Plagiarism

Partial plagiarism occurs when a manuscript includes substantial portions of text, ideas, or data taken from one or more sources without appropriate attribution, even if the content has been slightly modified or rephrased.

Self-Plagiarism

Self-plagiarism occurs when an author reuses significant portions of their previously published work without proper citation or disclosure. Republishing the same research findings in multiple journals without appropriate disclosure is considered unethical.

Plagiarism Screening Process

All submitted manuscripts undergo initial plagiarism screening before being considered for peer review. The editorial team examines the similarity report to assess whether the manuscript meets the journal’s originality and citation requirements.

·       Manuscripts with a similarity index of 15% or below may proceed to the peer review process, subject to editorial assessment.

·       Manuscripts with significant similarity, unattributed copied content, or other evidence of plagiarism may be returned to the authors for clarification or revision, or rejected.

·       A similarity index below 15% does not automatically establish that a manuscript is free from plagiarism. The nature and context of the matching content will also be considered.

Action Against Plagiarism

If plagiarism is identified at any stage of the publication process, IJITCE will take appropriate action based on the nature and severity of the issue.

Before Publication

If plagiarism is identified during the editorial or peer review process:

·       The manuscript may be rejected.

·       Authors may be asked to provide clarification or revise the manuscript where the issue is considered correctable.

·       Serious cases may be referred for further editorial investigation.

After Publication

If plagiarism is discovered after publication:

·       The journal will conduct a formal investigation.

·       The published article may be corrected, accompanied by an editorial notice, or retracted, depending on the findings.

·       Where appropriate and justified, the journal may notify the author’s affiliated institution or funding agency about the confirmed misconduct.

Disciplinary Measures

In cases of confirmed plagiarism, the journal may take one or more of the following actions, depending on the circumstances:

·       Rejection of the submitted manuscript.

·       Retraction of the published article.

·       Temporary or permanent restriction on future submissions from the author(s).

·       Notification to the author’s institution, university, or research organization, where appropriate.

·       Publication of a notice regarding the ethical issue, when necessary to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

Any action will be taken following an assessment of the available evidence and, where appropriate, an opportunity for the authors to respond.

Author Responsibility

It is the responsibility of all authors to ensure that their manuscripts are original, properly cited, and free from plagiarism before submission to IJITCE.

Authors must:

·       Properly cite all sources used in their research.

·       Obtain permission for the use of copyrighted materials when necessary.

·       Clearly acknowledge reused material and disclose related prior publications.

·       Ensure that their work complies with the journal’s ethical publishing standards.

The International Journal of Information Technology and Computer Engineering (IJITCE) supports ethical research practices and encourages authors to uphold the highest standards of academic honesty, originality, and professional integrity in scholarly publishing.