Plagiarism Policy

The standard

Every manuscript submitted to International Research Insights is screened for textual similarity before it is sent for review. The journal applies a total similarity limit of ten per cent, with no single source contributing more than five per cent, excluding the reference list, standard method descriptions, statutory text, quoted judgments and correctly attributed block quotations.

A number on a similarity report is not by itself proof of anything. A well referenced literature review can score above the limit honestly, and a carefully disguised paraphrase of someone else’s argument can score below it dishonestly. Every report is read by an editor, and the decision rests on what the report shows, not on the percentage alone.

What counts as plagiarism

• Reproducing another person’s words without quotation marks and citation, whatever the length.
• Paraphrasing another person’s argument, structure or analysis without citation.
• Presenting another person’s data, figures, tables, images, code or instruments as your own.
• Translating a published text into English or Hindi and presenting it as original work.
• Reusing your own previously published text without citation, known as self plagiarism or duplicate publication.
• Citing a source you have not read, taken from another author’s reference list, in a way that implies you consulted it.
• Fabricating references, including references produced by a text generation tool.

Screening process

1. The Managing Editor runs a similarity check on every submission before review.
2. Reports above the threshold are read against the manuscript to distinguish honest overlap from misappropriation.
3. Where similarity is technical or properly quoted, the manuscript proceeds and the author is told what was noted.
4. Where the overlap is substantive, the action below applies.

Action taken

Before review. The manuscript is returned with the similarity report and the specific passages identified. Minor, correctable overlap may be resubmitted once, corrected, within thirty days. Substantial overlap ends consideration of the manuscript.

During review. Review is suspended. The corresponding author is asked to respond within twenty one days. If the explanation is not satisfactory, the manuscript is rejected and the file is closed with the reason recorded.

After publication. The article is retracted under the procedure in the publication ethics statement. The retraction notice names the reason, remains permanently attached to the article, and the author’s institution is informed where the misconduct is serious or repeated.

Sanctions

An author found to have plagiarised may not submit to the journal for three years from the date of the finding. Where more than one author was aware, the sanction applies to each. Where an author is found to have plagiarised a second time, the ban is permanent. Sanctions are recorded in the editorial file and are not published, since the purpose is to protect the record rather than to punish in public.

Checking your own manuscript

Authors are encouraged to run a similarity check before submitting and to correct anything the report reveals. Most universities provide access to such tools through their libraries. Where an author has no access, the editorial office will run one check on request before formal submission and share the report, without prejudice to the later editorial decision.