Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy of the Partners Journal of Health Care

The Partners Journal of Health Care is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards in the publication process, and considers plagiarism as a serious violation of academic integrity. The journal seeks to maintain the credibility of the scientific community by ensuring that all research articles are original and properly credited. This policy outlines the journal’s stance on plagiarism and the procedures it follows in handling suspected cases of plagiarism.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s work, ideas, words, data, or intellectual property without proper acknowledgment or permission. It includes, but is not limited to:

Direct plagiarism: Copying text, figures, tables, or other materials verbatim from another source without citation.
Self-plagiarism: Reusing significant portions of one’s own previously published work without proper citation or disclosure.
Mosaic plagiarism: Borrowing phrases, sentences, or ideas from a source and interweaving them into a new work without citation.
Accidental plagiarism: Unintentionally failing to provide proper attribution due to negligence, lack of awareness, or misunderstanding of citation rules.

Prevention of Plagiarism

Author Responsibility:
Authors submitting manuscripts to the Partners Journal of Health Care are expected to ensure that all sources of information, ideas, and data that are not their own are properly cited. Authors should also include appropriate references for all figures, tables, and quotes used in their manuscripts.
Plagiarism Detection Software:
All submitted manuscripts are screened for plagiarism using specialized plagiarism detection software (such as Turnitin or iThenticate). This process helps identify potential instances of plagiarism and ensures that all works are original.
Clear Citation and Attribution:
Authors must clearly cite all sources, including direct quotes, paraphrased content, and data derived from other research. Proper citation formats according to the journal’s referencing guidelines must be adhered to, whether the source is a published article, book, website, or any other type of resource.

Handling of Suspected Plagiarism

Initial Review:
If plagiarism is detected during the submission process, the manuscript will be reviewed by the editorial team. The authors will be contacted and asked to provide clarification or to revise the manuscript to properly attribute the sources. In cases of minor or unintentional plagiarism, authors may be required to correct the issue and resubmit the manuscript.
Investigation Process:
If plagiarism is suspected after the manuscript has been accepted for publication or once it is published, a more thorough investigation will be conducted. This investigation may involve contacting the authors, reviewers, or the institutions associated with the manuscript to clarify the extent of the plagiarism.
Consequences of Plagiarism:
If the plagiarism is determined to be intentional or significant, the following actions may be taken:
- Rejection of the Manuscript: The manuscript will be rejected outright, and the authors will be informed of the reasons for rejection.
- Retraction of Published Articles: If the article has already been published, it may be retracted, and a formal notice of retraction will be issued. The retracted article will be removed from the online journal database, and the reason for retraction will be made publicly available.
- Ban from Future Submissions: The authors may be banned from submitting future manuscripts to the Partners Journal of Health Care.
Transparency:
In cases of significant plagiarism, the journal may inform the author's institution, funding bodies, or other relevant entities. The Partners Journal of Health Care reserves the right to publicly disclose the details of the plagiarism if necessary to maintain the integrity of the academic record.

Protection of Authors' Rights

The Partners Journal of Health Care recognizes the importance of protecting the rights of authors, especially in cases where plagiarism allegations are unsubstantiated. The journal will ensure that:

The identity of the authors is protected during the investigation process.
A fair and thorough review is conducted.
Authors will be given the opportunity to respond to allegations and provide explanations or evidence of originality.