Plagiarism Policy

Indonesian Journal of Ecology and Conservation (IJEC) strictly opposes all forms of plagiarism and academic misconduct. All manuscripts submitted to IJEC must be original works and must not have been published previously or be under consideration for publication elsewhere.

1. Definition Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • direct copying of text without proper citation
  • paraphrasing substantial parts of another work without acknowledgment
  • self-plagiarism or redundant publication
  • use of data, figures, or ideas without proper attribution
  • submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously

Any use of another author's work must be properly cited in accordance with academic standards.

2. Similarity Checking

All manuscripts submitted to IJEC will be screened using plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin or other similarity-checking tools.

The editorial team evaluates similarity reports before the manuscript proceeds to peer review.

The acceptable similarity index for IJEC is:

Maximum 20% (excluding references, quotations, and methodological similarities)

3. Similarity Threshold and Action

IJEC adopts the following similarity thresholds and editorial actions:

a. Similarity > 40%

  • Manuscript is rejected immediately
  • Considered severe plagiarism or unethical practice

b. Similarity 10% - 40%

  • Manuscript is returned to authors for revision
  • Authors must:
    • revise all highlighted sections
    • improve citation and paraphrasing
    • resubmit with a revised similarity report

c. Similarity < 10%

  • Manuscript may proceed to the peer-review process

d. Similarity 10 - 20% (IJEC Tolerance zone)

  • Manuscript may proceed with minor corrections, depending on editorial evaluation

4. Handling of Plagiarism Cases

Before Publication

If plagiarism is detected during the review process:

  • the manuscript will be rejected, or
  • returned to authors for revision depending on severity

After Publication

If plagiarism is discovered after publication:

IJEC reserves the right to:

  • retract the article
  • publish a retraction notice
  • notify the author's institution or relevant authorities

5. Author Responsibility

Authors are responsible for:

  • ensuring originality of their work
  • properly citing all sources
  • avoiding all forms of plagiarism

Submission of a manuscript implies that the authors have read and agreed to this policy.

6. Editorial Responsibility

The editorial board of IJEC is responsible for:

  • screening manuscripts for plagiarism
  • ensuring compliance with ethical standards
  • taking appropriate actions in cases of misconduct

All decisions are made in accordance with COPE guidelines.