Plagiarism Policy

The Journal of Social Science and Human Research Studies (JSSHRS) maintains a strict stance against all forms of plagiarism to preserve academic integrity and foster trust in scholarly publishing. Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism and uncredited reuse of material, is unacceptable and constitutes a serious breach of ethical standards.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Direct Plagiarism: Copying text, data, images, tables, or figures from another source without proper citation and quotation.

  • Paraphrased Plagiarism: Rephrasing another author’s ideas or findings without acknowledgment.

  • Self-Plagiarism: Republishing significant portions of one’s own previously published work without proper citation or disclosure.

  • Mosaic or Patchwork Plagiarism: Blending material from multiple sources as if it were original.

  • Unattributed Data/Figures: Using or reproducing data, figures, or images from any source without permission or attribution.

Plagiarism Detection

  • Every manuscript submitted to JSSHRS undergoes plagiarism screening using reliable detection software before peer review begins.

  • Manuscripts with a similarity index exceeding 15% or containing significant unattributed reproduced material may be immediately rejected or returned for correction.

  • Reviewers and editors remain vigilant for unattributed overlaps or irregularities throughout the editorial process.

Handling of Detected Plagiarism

  • At Submission or Pre-Review: Manuscripts suspected or found to contain plagiarism are returned to the authors for revision, correction, or outright rejection based on the extent of the overlap. Manuscripts with more than 25% plagiarized content are typically rejected without review.

  • Post-Publication: If plagiarism is discovered after publication, an investigation will be conducted. Confirmed cases may result in retraction of the article, notification of associated institutions/funders, and a public notice of retraction or correction linked to the original article.

  • Repeat or egregious cases may lead to banning the author(s) from future submissions for a fixed period or permanently.

Author Responsibilities

  • Ensure that all submissions are entirely original and all sources are properly cited—including text, data, images, and ideas.

  • Secure permissions for any material reused from external or prior publications.

  • Disclose any overlap with previous works and cite them transparently.

  • Check plagiarism status before submitting to ensure compliance.

Editorial and Reviewer Responsibilities

  • Editors and reviewers are responsible for detecting, reporting, and addressing suspected plagiarism and for following up on all complaints neutrally and thoroughly.

  • Editorial actions may include manuscript rejection, correction requests, or involvement of academic/institutional authorities as required.

Statement of Compliance

By submitting a manuscript to JSSHRS, authors certify the originality of their work and agree to abide by the journal’s plagiarism policy. This builds and protects the scholarly record and supports fair, ethical research and publishing practices.

For questions about plagiarism or to report suspected cases, contact the editorial office at editor@ep-journals.org.

JSSHRS publishes only original, ethically conducted, and properly credited research, upholding the highest standards in social science and humanities scholarship.