Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy

The Journal of Experimental and Clinical Anatomy (JECA) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and originality in scholarly publishing. JECA does not tolerate plagiarism or any related form of unethical appropriation or misrepresentation of intellectual work.

All submitted manuscripts are expected to be the original work of the author(s). Where the words, ideas, data, images, methods, or interpretations of others are used, they must be properly cited and acknowledged.

Suspected plagiarism or related misconduct will be handled in accordance with JECA’s Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement and relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s language, ideas, data, images, methods, analysis, interpretations, or other intellectual content as one’s own without proper acknowledgment.

Plagiarism may occur whether the copied material is reproduced verbatim, paraphrased inadequately, translated without attribution, or otherwise incorporated without appropriate citation.

2. Forms of Plagiarism

JECA considers the following, among others, to be forms of plagiarism:

2.1 Direct Plagiarism

Copying text, figures, tables, images, or other material from another source without quotation, permission where required, and appropriate attribution.

2.2 Mosaic or Patchwork Plagiarism

Borrowing phrases, ideas, or materials from one or more sources and blending them into the manuscript without adequate acknowledgment, even if the wording has been slightly altered.

2.3 Paraphrasing Without Attribution

Rewriting another author’s ideas, arguments, or text in different words without proper citation.

2.4 Self-Plagiarism / Text Recycling

Reusing substantial portions of one’s own previously published work without appropriate disclosure, citation, or editorial justification.

This may include:

  • duplicate submission of the same manuscript;
  • redundant publication of substantially similar content;
  • reuse of text, data, figures, or results from prior publications without transparency.

Limited and properly disclosed reuse of standard methodological descriptions may be acceptable where justified, but extensive undisclosed reuse is not acceptable.

2.5 Data or Image Plagiarism

Using another person’s data, figures, images, illustrations, graphs, or other visual materials without proper attribution, permission where required, or acknowledgment.

3. Originality Requirement

Authors submitting manuscripts to JECA must ensure that:

  • the manuscript is original;
  • it has not been published previously, except as disclosed and permitted;
  • it is not under consideration elsewhere;
  • all borrowed material is clearly identified and appropriately cited;
  • all permissions have been obtained where required.

Submission of a manuscript implies that the authors accept responsibility for the originality of the work.

4. Similarity Checking

All manuscripts submitted to JECA may be screened using plagiarism detection or similarity-checking software before peer review and at any stage of the editorial process.

A similarity report is used only as a screening tool. The journal does not rely solely on similarity percentages in determining plagiarism. Editorial assessment will consider:

  • the extent and nature of overlap;
  • whether overlap occurs in methods, references, standard phrases, or substantive intellectual content;
  • whether the source has been properly cited;
  • whether reuse is justified, transparent, and ethically acceptable.

Similarity scores alone do not determine misconduct.

5. Editorial Assessment of Suspected Plagiarism

If overlap or possible plagiarism is identified, JECA will assess the case according to its seriousness and context.

Possible outcomes may include:

  • request for clarification from the authors;
  • request for revision and proper citation;
  • rejection of the manuscript;
  • notification of the authors’ institution or employer in serious cases;
  • publication of a correction, expression of concern, or retraction if the issue is identified after publication.

Where plagiarism is confirmed after publication, JECA may take post-publication action in accordance with its Corrections, Retractions, and Misconduct Management Policy.

6. Consequences of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is regarded as a serious breach of publication ethics. Depending on the nature and severity of the case, JECA may take one or more of the following actions:

  • reject the manuscript;
  • request correction or rewriting of the affected sections;
  • suspend consideration of future submissions from the author(s) for a specified period;
  • inform the relevant institution, employer, or funding body;
  • retract the published article;
  • publish an editorial notice, correction, or expression of concern where appropriate.

7. Duplicate and Redundant Publication

JECA does not permit duplicate submission or redundant publication.

Authors must not submit the same or substantially similar manuscripts to more than one journal simultaneously, nor should they publish substantially overlapping work without proper disclosure and editorial approval.

Duplicate and redundant publication may be treated as a form of self-plagiarism and publication misconduct.

8. Guidance for Authors

Authors are strongly encouraged to review their manuscripts carefully before submission to ensure proper citation, quotation, acknowledgment, and originality.

Use of plagiarism detection tools by authors prior to submission may be helpful, but such tools do not replace the authors’ responsibility to ensure ethical and original scholarly writing.

Authors should also consult JECA’s policies on:

  • Publication Ethics and Malpractice
  • Authorship
  • Copyright and Licensing
  • Corrections, Retractions, and Misconduct Management

9. Post-Publication Discovery of Plagiarism

If plagiarism is reported or discovered after publication, JECA will investigate the matter in accordance with its editorial policies and COPE guidance.

Depending on the findings, JECA may publish:

  • a correction;
  • an expression of concern;
  • a retraction; or
  • another appropriate notice.

10. Contact

Concerns regarding suspected plagiarism should be directed to:

Editor
Journal of Experimental and Clinical Anatomy (JECA)
Email: jecajournal@gmail.com