Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy

The MISJ-International Journal of Medical Research and Allied Sciences, published by Malwa International Scientific Journals, is committed to maintaining the originality, integrity, and credibility of all published research. Plagiarism in any form is considered unethical and unacceptable.

The journal follows the ethical principles and best practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • direct copying of text, figures, tables, images, or data without appropriate attribution,
  • paraphrasing or rewording another author’s work without proper citation,
  • self-plagiarism or redundant publication involving substantial reuse of previously published work without acknowledgment,
  • duplicate publication or simultaneous submission to multiple journals,
  • and unauthorized use of unpublished data or intellectual property.

2. Plagiarism Screening Process

All submitted manuscripts undergo plagiarism screening using reliable plagiarism detection software such as iThenticate and/or Turnitin prior to peer review.

The journal generally considers a similarity index of ≤15% acceptable, excluding references, quotations, and standard methodological descriptions.

Manuscripts with excessive similarity, suspected plagiarism, or unethical overlap may:

  • be returned for revision,
  • undergo additional editorial evaluation,
  • or be rejected without peer review.

3. Consequences of Plagiarism

Pre-Publication

If plagiarism or unethical overlap is identified before publication, the manuscript may be:

  • rejected immediately,
  • returned to authors for clarification or correction,
  • or subjected to further ethical review.

Post-Publication

If plagiarism is identified after publication, the journal may:

  • issue corrections,
  • publish expressions of concern,
  • retract the article,
  • and publish a formal retraction notice explaining the reason.

Institutional Notification

In cases involving serious ethical misconduct, the journal reserves the right to notify:

  • authors’ affiliated institutions,
  • funding agencies,
  • or relevant regulatory bodies where appropriate.

4. Author Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for:

  • ensuring the originality of submitted work,
  • properly citing all sources of text, data, figures, images, and ideas,
  • obtaining permissions for copyrighted material where necessary,
  • and avoiding duplicate or simultaneous submissions.

Authors must ensure that all co-authors approve the submitted manuscript and its originality.

5. Editorial Responsibilities

The editorial office and editors are responsible for:

  • implementing plagiarism screening procedures,
  • investigating suspected ethical misconduct promptly and confidentially,
  • maintaining fairness and transparency during investigations,
  • and taking appropriate editorial actions in accordance with COPE recommendations.

Possible actions may include:

  • manuscript rejection,
  • publication correction,
  • article retraction,
  • or temporary submission restrictions for serious violations.

Final Statement

MISJ-IJMRAAS maintains a strict anti-plagiarism policy to protect scientific integrity, academic credibility, and ethical scholarly communication. Authors are expected to comply fully with accepted publication ethics and responsible research practices.