Anti-Plagiarism Policy

The Diyala Journal for Veterinary Sciences (DJVS) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. Plagiarism in any form is considered a serious violation of publication ethics and is strictly prohibited. This policy defines plagiarism and outlines the rules and procedures applied by the journal to prevent, detect, and address it in all submitted manuscripts.

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of using someone else's work or ideas without proper attribution, and it specifies the consequences for engaging in plagiarism. The policy aims to protect intellectual property, maintain academic integrity, and ensure originality in submitted work. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Direct copying of text from other sources without citation.
  • Paraphrasing substantial portions of another’s work without appropriate attribution.
  • Using figures, tables, images, or data from other sources without permission or acknowledgment.
  • Self-plagiarism, which involves reusing significant portions of the author’s own previously published work without proper citation.

2. Plagiarism Screening Process

  • All manuscripts submitted to DJVS are screened for similarity using reliable plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin Similarity Check) before the peer-review process begins.
  • Manuscripts with a similarity index of 20% or higher (excluding references, quotations, and common phrases) will be returned to the authors for revision or may be rejected outright, depending on severity.
  • In cases of suspected plagiarism, the editorial board will conduct a thorough investigation and may contact the authors for clarification.

3. Editorial Action in Cases of Plagiarism

Depending on the severity and extent of plagiarism, the following actions may be taken:

  • Minor plagiarism: The manuscript will be returned to the authors for immediate revision and proper citation.
  • Moderate to major plagiarism: The manuscript will be rejected, and the authors will be provided with a detailed plagiarism report.
  • Plagiarism in published work: The article will be retracted, and a retraction notice will be issued. The author’s institution and relevant authorities may also be notified.

4. Author Responsibility

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submitted work is entirely original and properly cites all sources. Before submission, authors are strongly encouraged to check their manuscripts using plagiarism detection tools.

By submitting a manuscript to DJVS, authors confirm that:

  • Their work is original.
  • All sources are properly cited and acknowledged.
  • The manuscript has not been submitted or published elsewhere in any form.

5. Commitment to Ethical Publishing

DJVS adheres to the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and expects all authors, reviewers, and editors to follow these principles in all aspects of scholarly publishing.