Plagiarism Policy

The International Journal of Forensic Expert Alliance (IJFEA) is unwavering in its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, originality, and quality in scholarly publishing. Plagiarism in any form is a serious violation of academic ethics and is strictly prohibited. This policy outlines IJFEA’s approach to detecting and addressing plagiarism, along with the responsibilities of authors, reviewers, and editors.

  1. Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves the unethical use of another person’s words, ideas, or data without proper acknowledgment. It includes, but is not limited to:

  • Direct Plagiarism: Copying verbatim text without quotation and citation.
  • Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rewriting another’s work with minimal changes without attribution.
  • Self-Plagiarism: Republishing one’s own previously published work without acknowledgment (duplicate submission or text recycling).
  • Mosaic Plagiarism: Mixing phrases, ideas, or structures from multiple sources without citation.
  • Data Misappropriation: Presenting others’ data, results, or findings as one’s own.

 

  1. Responsibilities of Authors
  • Originality Requirement: Submissions must be original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere.
  • Similarity Threshold: IJFEA enforces a strict similarity limit of 10% overall and 5% for AI-generated plagiarism, verified by tools like Turnitin or iThenticate.
  • Proper Attribution: All borrowed content must be properly cited.
  • Ethical Statement: Authors must submit a declaration confirming originality and compliance with IJFEA’s ethics policy.

 

  1. Detection of Plagiarism
  • Software Screening: All manuscripts undergo plagiarism checks using advanced detection tools.
  • Editorial Review: The editorial team evaluates similarity reports to determine acceptability.

 

  1. Handling Plagiarism Cases
  • Minor Overlap: Authors may be asked to revise and resubmit with proper citations.
  • Major Plagiarism: Manuscripts with significant plagiarism will be rejected outright.
  • Self-Plagiarism: Authors must revise duplicated content; major duplication leads to rejection.

 

  1. Post-Publication Actions
  • Retraction: Published articles with confirmed plagiarism will be retracted, with a notice explaining the reason.
  • Corrections: In minor cases, corrections or proper attributions will be published.
  • Notification: In serious cases, authors’ institutions or funders may be notified.

 

  1. Consequences for Authors
  • Rejection: Plagiarized manuscripts are rejected without further review.
  • Publication Ban: Offending authors may face a temporary or permanent ban from publishing in IJFEA.
  • Institutional Reporting: Severe or repeated violations may be reported to relevant authorities.

 

  1. Role of Reviewers and Editors
  • Reviewer Vigilance: Reviewers must report suspected plagiarism with evidence.
  • Editorial Responsibility: Editors handle plagiarism cases with confidentiality and in line with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.

 

  1. Education and Awareness
  • Author Support: IJFEA provides resources to guide authors on proper citation and ethical publishing.
  • Reviewer Training: Reviewers receive guidance on detecting plagiarism and supporting academic integrity.