APJSA has a zero-tolerance policy towards plagiarism and is committed to ensuring that all published content is original and appropriately attributed.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as the use of another person's words, ideas, data, or work without proper acknowledgment or citation, presenting them as one's own. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Direct Plagiarism: Copying text directly from a source without quotation marks or proper citation.
• Self-Plagiarism: Reusing significant parts of one’s previously published work without proper citation, also referred to as "duplicate publication."
• Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rephrasing someone else’s work without appropriate citation, even if the wording is changed.
• Mosaic Plagiarism: Incorporating phrases or ideas from a source into one’s work without proper citation, creating a patchwork of borrowed content.
• Insufficient Acknowledgment: Failing to properly cite the original source of an idea, method, or data, leading to the false representation of the work as original.

Plagiarism Detection

APJSA employs Turnitin, a leading plagiarism detection software, to screen all submitted manuscripts for potential plagiarism. Turnitin compares the manuscript against an extensive database of academic publications, websites, books, and other written materials to identify similarities and overlaps.

Acceptable Similarity Index

APJSA considers a similarity index of less than 10% as acceptable, provided that all sources are properly cited and the similarities do not involve extensive copying or affect the originality of the manuscript. If the similarity index exceeds this threshold, the editorial team will conduct a detailed review to determine whether the similarities constitute plagiarism.

Handling Plagiarism

If plagiarism is detected before publication, the following steps will be taken:

1. Initial Assessment: The editorial team will review the Turnitin report to assess the extent and nature of the similarities. If potential plagiarism is identified, the manuscript will be flagged for further examination.
2. Author Notification: The corresponding author will be informed of the detected plagiarism and provided with the Turnitin report. The author will be required to respond to the findings and may be asked to revise the manuscript to address the issues.
3. Manuscript Revision: If the plagiarism is deemed unintentional or minor, the author may be given the opportunity to revise the manuscript to ensure proper attribution and originality. The revised manuscript will undergo a second round of plagiarism checking.
4. Rejection or Withdrawal: In cases of significant or intentional plagiarism, the manuscript will be rejected, and the authors may be banned from submitting future work to APJSA. In severe cases, APJSA may notify the author’s institution or relevant authorities about the misconduct.
5. Post-Publication Action: If plagiarism is discovered after publication, APJSA will take appropriate action, which may include issuing a retraction or correction. The retraction notice will clearly state the reasons and will be linked to the original article.

Prevention and Education

APJSA encourages authors to adhere to ethical writing practices and to properly cite all sources of information, ideas, and data used in their work. Authors are advised to use plagiarism detection tools, such as Turnitin, before submission to ensure the originality of their manuscript.

Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting work to APJSA are responsible for:

• Ensuring that their manuscript is original and free of plagiarism.
• Properly citing all sources, including their own previously published work, when relevant.
• Submitting a manuscript that has not been published elsewhere or is under consideration by another journal.

Collaborative and Institutional Responsibilities

APJSA works in collaboration with authors’ institutions and funding bodies to promote awareness of plagiarism and uphold academic integrity. In cases of severe plagiarism, APJSA may report the misconduct to the author’s institution, potentially leading to further investigation and action. APJSA is committed to maintaining the integrity of the academic record by ensuring that all published work is original, properly cited, and free from plagiarism. Through the use of Turnitin and other preventive measures, APJSA aims to foster a culture of honesty, transparency, and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing.