Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy

Maxosmith Publications is firmly committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic and research integrity. As part of our responsibility as a scholarly publisher, we uphold strict ethical principles in the evaluation and publication of scientific content. Plagiarism is a serious violation of publication ethics and is treated with zero tolerance.

This document outlines the detailed plagiarism policy followed across all journals published under Maxosmith Publications, including but not limited to the International Journal of Pharmacological Innovations (IJPI) and the International Journal of Analytical Pharmaceutical Sciences (IJAPS).

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers to the use of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without proper acknowledgment. It includes, but is not limited to:

  • Verbatim copying of text without quotation marks and citation
  • Paraphrasing someone else’s work without acknowledgment
  • Replicating figures, tables, or data without permission or proper citation
  • Self-plagiarism, which includes reusing portions of an author’s own previously published work without citation
  • Inappropriate citation, such as citing sources not used or falsely attributing authorship
  • Misrepresentation of originality, where the content is presented as novel despite being copied or substantially similar to previously published material

2. Policy Scope

This plagiarism policy applies to all:

  • Research articles.
  • Review papers.
  • Case reports.
  • Systematic reviews.
  • Short communications.
  • Editorials and letters to the editor.
  • Any other form of scholarly submission to Maxosmith Publications.

It covers submissions from all authors, irrespective of geographical location, institutional affiliation, or career stage.

3. Acceptable Similarity Index

Maxosmith Publications adopts a stringent criterion for similarity index:

  • A similarity index of less than 10% (excluding references, quotations, and boilerplate methods) is considered acceptable.
  • A similarity index of 10–30% is evaluated case-by-case. Authors may be requested to revise or rewrite sections.
  • A similarity index above 30% is considered indicative of significant plagiarism. Such submissions are rejected outright.

Plagiarism detection is performed using Turnitin, iThenticate, or other reputable plagiarism detection software.

4. Plagiarism Detection Procedure

All manuscripts submitted to Maxosmith Publications undergo mandatory plagiarism screening prior to peer review. The steps are as follows:

  • The manuscript is uploaded into plagiarism detection software.
  • A similarity report is generated.
  • Editorial staff reviews the report to identify matched sources.
  • The Editor-in-Chief or assigned Section Editor evaluates whether matches are ethically and academically acceptable.
  • If plagiarism is detected, the manuscript is returned to the author with comments or rejected based on severity.

5. Author Responsibilities

Authors must:

  • Ensure the manuscript is original and properly cites all sources.
  • Submit only work that has not been published elsewhere or is not under review elsewhere.
  • Disclose if part of the content has been published previously in any form.
  • Obtain permissions for all copyrighted material used.
  • Include proper citation and attributions for all reproduced or adapted content Authors may be asked to submit a plagiarism declaration form at the time of submission.

6. Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers are encouraged to:

  • Report suspected plagiarism or data duplication to the editor.
  • Maintain confidentiality and not use unpublished content for personal benefit.
  • Flag self-plagiarism or recycled submissions when identified.

7. Editorial Responsibilities

Editors and editorial staff:

  • Perform or oversee plagiarism checks.
  • Ensure manuscripts comply with ethical standards.
  • Communicate with authors in cases of suspected or confirmed plagiarism.
  • Take appropriate actions, which may include rejection, revision requests, or retraction post-publication.

8. Penalties for Plagiarism

If plagiarism is detected at any stage:

  • Minor Plagiarism (under 10%): Authors are advised to revise with proper citations.
  • Moderate Plagiarism (10–30%): Manuscript is put on hold. Authors must revise or rewrite extensively.
  • Major Plagiarism (>30%):
    • Manuscript is rejected immediately.
    • All authors are blacklisted from future submissions for a period (usually 1–3 years).
    • The issue may be reported to the authors’ institution or funding agency.

    • If plagiarism is discovered after publication:

  • The article will be retracted with a public notice.
  • Indexing bodies and databases will be notified.
  • A detailed investigation will be carried out.

9. Handling Self-Plagiarism

Self-plagiarism is treated seriously. Reuse of previously published content (e.g., methods or literature reviews) must:

  • Be minimal.
  • Be properly cited.
  • Avoid verbatim repetition.

Authors must declare if the manuscript includes material from their previous publications and ensure proper referencing.

10. Preprint and Conference Abstracts

Maxosmith Publications permits submissions of manuscripts that have been previously:

  • Presented at conferences (with or without abstract publication).
  • Shared on reputable preprint servers (e.g., arXiv, ChemRxiv, bioRxiv), provided full disclosure is made at submission and the content is revised.

Preprint material must be cited appropriately if integrated into the manuscript.

11. Use of AI and Automated Writing Tools

Authors are expected to:

  • Acknowledge any use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) in writing or editing.
  • Ensure AI-generated text is not plagiarized or misleading.
  • Take full responsibility for the content.

AI-generated content must not replace scientific reasoning, originality, or authorship.

12. Retraction and Correction Policy

In cases where plagiarism is discovered post-publication:

  • A Retraction Notice will be issued online and linked to the article.
  • Article will be marked as “Retracted due to Plagiarism”.
  • Correction notices will be issued if plagiarism affects only certain parts of the article All actions follow COPE Retraction Guidelines.

AI-generated content must not replace scientific reasoning, originality, or authorship.

13. Appeals and Disputes

Authors who disagree with a plagiarism decision may:

  • Submit a formal appeal to the Editor-in-Chief with evidence.
  • Request a re-evaluation of the similarity report.
  • Provide justification for content reuse (if applicable).

Appeals will be reviewed independently by a panel of editorial board members.

14. Training and Awareness

Maxosmith Publications promotes awareness of plagiarism through:

  • Author and reviewer workshops • Publishing articles and blog content on ethical writing.
  • Providing access to best practices and tools (e.g., citation software).

Authors are encouraged to consult COPE ( https://publicationethics.org), OASPA (https://oaspa.org), and DOAJ (https://doaj.org) for ethical publication standards.

15. Final Note

Maxosmith Publications treats every instance of plagiarism seriously. We strive to create an environment of academic honesty and encourage authors, reviewers, and editors to maintain and promote these ethical standards at all times. We reserve the right to amend this policy periodically in accordance with global best practices and publication ethics guidelines.

For questions related to plagiarism or to report misconduct, please contact:

Email: support@mspublication.com

Website: www.mspublication.com

Maxosmith Publications — Committed to Ethical, Transparent, and Responsible Publishing.