The Pacific Journal of Advanced Engineering Innovations (PJAEI) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, originality, and quality in scholarly publishing. Plagiarism in any form is considered a serious violation of academic ethics and is not tolerated. This policy outlines the journal's approach to detecting and addressing plagiarism, as well as the responsibilities of authors, reviewers, and editors in upholding these standards.

 

1. Definition of Plagiarism

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

• Direct Plagiarism: Copying text word-for-word from another source without appropriate quotation marks and citations.
• Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rewriting another author’s work with minor changes while retaining the original ideas without proper attribution.
• Self-Plagiarism: Reusing significant portions of one’s previously published work without acknowledging the source, also known as duplicate publication or text recycling.
• Mosaic Plagiarism: Borrowing phrases, ideas, or structures from multiple sources and blending them without proper citation.
• Data Misappropriation: Presenting someone else’s data, research results, or experimental findings as one’s own without permission or acknowledgment.

 

2. Responsibilities of Authors

Originality Requirement:

• Authors must ensure their submissions are entirely original and have not been published or submitted elsewhere. They are responsible for citing all sources and providing accurate references for any borrowed content, ideas, or data.

 

Similarity Threshold:

• PJAEI enforces a strict similarity limit of 10% for submitted manuscripts, as determined by plagiarism detection software. Authors must verify adherence to this threshold before submission.

 

Proper Attribution:

• Authors must provide appropriate citations for all ideas, text, or data derived from other sources. Failure to do so constitutes plagiarism and will lead to rejection or additional penalties.

 

Ethical Statement:

• Authors are required to submit an ethical declaration confirming that their manuscript is original, free from plagiarism, and complies with the journal’s ethical guidelines.

 

3. Detection of Plagiarism

Plagiarism Detection Tools:

• All manuscripts undergo screening through advanced plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin, iThenticate) before being sent for peer review. This software compares submissions against an extensive database of published works to identify overlaps and potential plagiarism.

 

Editorial Screening:

• The editorial team conducts an initial review to identify overlapping content. Manuscripts with excessive similarity or clear evidence of plagiarism are flagged for further investigation.

 

4. Handling Plagiarism Cases

Initial Assessment:

• If plagiarism is detected during the initial screening or peer review process, the editorial team evaluates the extent and severity of the violation.

 

Minor Overlap:

• For minor instances of overlap (e.g., within acceptable limits with proper citation), authors are asked to revise the manuscript to reduce similarity. The manuscript may proceed after satisfactory revisions.

 

Major Plagiarism:

• Manuscripts with significant plagiarism (e.g., extensive copying, paraphrasing without citation, or uncredited use of others’ work) are rejected outright. Authors are notified of the decision and provided with evidence of plagiarism.

 

Self-Plagiarism:

• Authors found to have self-plagiarized must rewrite or remove duplicated content. Substantial self-plagiarism may result in rejection.

 

5. Post-Publication Actions

Retraction:

• If plagiarism is discovered after publication, PJAEI will initiate an investigation. If the allegations are substantiated, the article will be retracted, and a retraction notice will detail the reasons for withdrawal.

 

Corrections:

• For less severe plagiarism cases where the core content remains valid, PJAEI may issue a correction notice to attribute the plagiarized content appropriately.

 

Notification of Parties:

• In severe cases, the authors’ institutions and funding agencies may be informed of the misconduct, particularly if intentional dishonesty is involved.

 

6. Consequences for Authors

Manuscript Rejection:

• Manuscripts containing plagiarism are rejected without further consideration.

 

Publication Ban:

• Authors found guilty of significant plagiarism may be barred from submitting to PJAEI for a specified period or indefinitely, depending on the severity of the offense.

 

Institutional Reporting:

• Serious or repeated offenses may be reported to the authors’ affiliated institutions or other relevant bodies for further action.

 

7. Role of Reviewers and Editors

Reviewer Vigilance:

• Reviewers are expected to be vigilant in identifying potential plagiarism. They must report suspected cases to the editorial team with specific evidence.

Editorial Responsibility:

• Editors are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the peer review process while ensuring ethical standards are upheld. Allegations of plagiarism are handled discreetly and in line with established procedures.

 

8. Education and Awareness

Author Guidance:

• PJAEI provides resources and guidelines on proper citation practices and the ethical use of content to help authors avoid unintentional plagiarism.

Reviewer Training:

• Reviewers receive training and resources to assist in detecting plagiarism and understanding their role in maintaining ethical standards.