Plagiarism Policy

Last updated 23/12/2024

Introduction

The Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal (PAFMJ) 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 involves the use of someone else's work, ideas, or intellectual property without proper acknowledgment, presenting it as one's own. This includes, but is not limited to, verbatim copying, paraphrasing, or closely mimicking the structure or concept of another source without appropriate attribution. Manuscripts with similarity index of more than 19% are not proceeded further unless rectified.

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:

All submitted manuscripts undergo plagiarism detection through Turnitin plagiarism software (courtesy HEC) to identify potential instances of plagiarism.

 

4.2 Manual Screening:

The editorial team conducts manual screening to identify instances of potential plagiarism that may not be detected by automated tools.

5. Handling Plagiarism Cases

5.1 Initial Assessment:

Upon detection of potential plagiarism, the editorial team conducts a thorough assessment to determine the extent and severity of the issue.

5.2 Author Notification:

Authors are promptly notified of the detected plagiarism and are provided with an opportunity to explain or rectify the situation.

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 with significant or extensive plagiarism may be rejected, and the authors may be barred from submitting to PAFMJ for a specified period.

For a published article, the allegedly plagiarized article will be temporary retracted from publication and author will serve an explanation demand. The subject case will be highlighted in the user section of the journal for the period of 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 have the right to appeal plagiarism-related decisions by providing a detailed explanation and evidence to support their case.

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:

PAFMJ is committed to educating authors about the importance of proper citation and avoiding plagiarism.

8.2 Public Awareness:

The journal promotes awareness about plagiarism and its consequences through lectures and workshops, emphasizing ethical publishing practices.

9. Periodic Review and Updates

This policy will be periodically reviewed to ensure its effectiveness and alignment with evolving standards. Updates will be made as necessary to enhance the handling of plagiarism cases.

This Plagiarism Policy aligns with ICMJE, COPE, PM&DC and HEC guidelines, aiming to maintain the integrity of the publication process at PAFMJ and promote ethical publishing practices among authors.