Plagiarism Policy
Last updated 1/4/2025
1. Introduction
The Infectious Diseases Journal of Pakistan (Infect Dis J Pak) is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity and ethics in scholarly publishing. This Plagiarism Policy outlines the guidelines and procedures for addressing plagiarism in submitted manuscripts, in accordance with the guidelines set forth by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), PM&DC and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan.
2. Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism refers to using another person's work, ideas, or intellectual creations without giving proper credit, thereby passing it off as one's own. This can include direct copying, rewording, or closely following the original content's structure or concept without proper citation. Submissions with a similarity score exceeding 19% are rejected unless corrected
3. Types of Plagiarism
3.1 Verbatim Plagiarism: Copying text word-for-word without proper citation.
3.2 Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rewriting someone else's work without proper attribution, maintaining the original structure or idea.
3.3 Conceptual Plagiarism: Replicating the underlying concept or structure of someone else's work without giving due credit.
4. Detection of Plagiarism
4.1 Similarity Checks: To identify potential plagiarism, all submitted manuscripts are screened using Turnitin, a plagiarism detection tool provided by HEC.
4.2 Manual Screening: The editorial staff performs a manual review to spot cases of possible plagiarism that automated systems might miss.
5. Handling Plagiarism Cases
5.1 Initial Assessment: If potential plagiarism is identified, the editorial team carefully evaluates the situation to assess its scope and seriousness.
5.2 Author Notification: When plagiarism is found, authors are immediately notified and offered the opportunity to address or resolve the matter.
5.3 Review Committee: A review committee, consisting of editorial board members, is formed to assess the plagiarism case and recommend appropriate actions.
6. Actions for Plagiarism
6.1 Minor Plagiarism: In cases of minor plagiarism, authors may be required to revise and properly cite the affected portions.
6.2 Major Plagiarism: Manuscripts containing substantial plagiarism may be rejected, and the authors could face a temporary ban from submitting to the Infectious Diseases Journal of Pakistan (Infect Dis J Pak). If a published article is found to have significant plagiarism, it will be temporarily withdrawn, and the author will be required to provide an explanation. The case will also be publicly noted in the journal’s user section for one year.
6.3 Publication Retraction: If plagiarism is identified post-publication, affected articles may be retracted.
7. Appeals Process
7.1 Author Appeals: Authors can challenge plagiarism rulings by submitting a thorough justification along with supporting evidence for their appeal.
7.2 Appeals Review: The editorial board will review appeals, considering the provided information, and may modify decisions accordingly.
8. Education and Awareness
8.1 Author Education: Infect Dis J Pak is committed to educating authors about the importance of proper citation and avoiding plagiarism.
8.2 Public Awareness: The journal raises awareness of plagiarism and its repercussions by organizing lectures and workshops, highlighting the importance of ethical publishing standards.
9. Periodic Review and Updates
This policy will undergo regular reviews to maintain its effectiveness and keep it in line with changing standards. Necessary updates will be implemented to improve the management of plagiarism cases.
This Plagiarism Policy follows the guidelines set by ICMJE, COPE, PM&DC and HEC guidelines, ensuring the credibility of the publication process at Infect Dis J Pak and encouraging authors to adhere to ethical standards in publishing.
