Plagiarism Screening
Journal of Public Administration and Policy Studies (JPAPS) is committed to maintaining the originality, integrity, and credibility of all scholarly works published in the journal. All manuscripts submitted to JPAPS are subject to plagiarism and similarity screening as part of the editorial evaluation process.
1. Similarity Screening
All submitted manuscripts will be screened using recognized plagiarism-detection or similarity-checking software before proceeding to further stages of the editorial and peer-review process.
The similarity report is used as an editorial screening tool to identify potential plagiarism, self-plagiarism, inappropriate text recycling, duplicate publication, or unattributed use of previously published materials.
Where necessary, manuscripts may be screened again during the revision process or prior to final acceptance.
2. Evaluation of Similarity Reports
JPAPS does not determine plagiarism solely on the basis of an overall similarity percentage.
Similarity reports are evaluated by the Editorial Team by considering the source, extent, pattern, location, and context of the identified similarities. Properly cited quotations, references, commonly used terminology, and legitimate methodological expressions may contribute to a similarity score without constituting plagiarism.
Conversely, a manuscript with a relatively low overall similarity score may still raise serious concerns if substantial or distinctive passages are taken from a particular source without appropriate quotation, citation, acknowledgment, or original expression.
Therefore, the determination of plagiarism is based on editorial assessment of the nature and context of the identified similarities rather than on a numerical similarity score alone.
3. Unacceptable Practices
JPAPS considers the following practices unacceptable:
- copying words, sentences, paragraphs, ideas, arguments, data, figures, tables, or other materials from another source without appropriate acknowledgment;
- closely paraphrasing another author's work without appropriate citation;
- presenting another person's ideas or intellectual contributions as one's own;
- reusing substantial portions of an author's previously published work without appropriate citation or disclosure;
- inappropriate text recycling or redundant publication;
- submitting substantially the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously; and
- manipulating or concealing sources in an attempt to avoid plagiarism detection.
4. Author Responsibility
Authors are fully responsible for ensuring the originality and integrity of their manuscripts.
All sources used in the manuscript must be properly acknowledged and cited. Direct quotations must be clearly identified and appropriately referenced.
Authors must also appropriately cite their own previously published works when such materials are reused or substantially relied upon. Previously published material must not be presented as new or original work.
By submitting a manuscript to JPAPS, authors confirm that the work is original and that the intellectual contributions and publications of others have been appropriately acknowledged.
5. Editorial Actions
When potentially problematic similarities are identified, the Editorial Team will evaluate the nature and extent of the overlap.
Depending on the circumstances, JPAPS may request clarification from the authors, require revision or appropriate citation, return the manuscript before peer review, or reject the manuscript when substantial plagiarism or other serious misconduct is identified.
Cases involving suspected research or publication misconduct will be handled in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics policy.
6. Plagiarism Identified After Publication
If plagiarism or substantial unattributed overlap is identified after publication, JPAPS will investigate the matter in accordance with its Publication Ethics policy.
Depending on the severity of the case, appropriate action may include correction, expression of concern, retraction, or other measures necessary to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.
