Plagiarism Policy

1. Policy Statement
IJRSS is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and originality. Plagiarism in any form is considered unethical and unacceptable. All submitted manuscripts must be the original work of the authors and must not have been copied, wholly or partially, from any other sources without proper attribution.

2. Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Copying text, data, figures, or ideas from another source without proper citation.

  • Paraphrasing substantial portions of another work without acknowledgment.

  • Submitting someone else’s work as one’s own (including self-plagiarism or duplicate submission).

  • Fabricating citations or misrepresenting sources.

3. Plagiarism Detection Process
All submissions to IJRSS are screened for plagiarism using advanced plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin, iThenticate).

  • A similarity index below 15% (excluding references, quotes, and standard phrases) is considered acceptable.

  • A similarity index between 15% and 30% will result in the manuscript being returned to the authors for revision.

  • A similarity index exceeding 30% will lead to outright rejection of the manuscript.

4. Consequences of Plagiarism
Depending on the severity of the plagiarism, the following actions may be taken:

  • Minor Overlap (Unintentional): Authors will be asked to revise and resubmit with proper citations.

  • Major Overlap (Intentional or Negligent): The manuscript will be rejected, and a notice will be sent to the authors' institution(s).

  • Plagiarism in Published Work: If plagiarism is detected after publication:

    • The article may be retracted, and a retraction notice will be published.

    • The authors may be blacklisted from future submissions.

    • Notification may be sent to relevant academic or professional bodies.

5. Self-Plagiarism / Redundant Publication
IJRSS does not allow authors to reuse substantial parts of their previously published work without clear citation and justification. Authors must disclose any overlapping or closely related publications at the time of submission.

6. Ethical Responsibility of Authors
By submitting a manuscript to IJRSS, authors confirm that:

  • The work is original and properly cited.

  • All sources of information have been acknowledged.

  • The manuscript has not been published elsewhere or is not under consideration for publication in another journal.

7. Editorial Responsibility
The editorial board of IJRSS:

  • Ensures that all submissions are screened for plagiarism.

  • Investigates reported cases of plagiarism promptly and fairly.

  • Follows the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines when handling plagiarism cases.