Plagiarism Policy

At Innovations in Agricultural and Environmental Science (IAES), we uphold the highest standards of academic integrity and originality. Plagiarism in any form is strictly prohibited and is considered a serious ethical violation. This policy outlines the journal's procedures and expectations for detecting, preventing, and addressing plagiarism in submitted and published works.

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Direct plagiarism: Copying text, figures, tables, or ideas from other works without proper citation or quotation.

  • Self-plagiarism: Republishing substantial portions of one’s own previously published work without disclosure or citation.

  • Mosaic plagiarism: Piecing together text from various sources without proper attribution.

  • Improper paraphrasing: Rewriting a source in one’s own words without appropriate acknowledgment.

All submitted manuscripts must be the authors’ original work and must not have been previously published or under consideration elsewhere.

2. Plagiarism Detection

IAES uses advanced plagiarism detection software (such as Turnitin, iThenticate, or PlagScan) to screen all submitted manuscripts prior to peer review. The results are evaluated by the editorial team for potential overlaps and improper citation practices.

  • A similarity index below 15% is generally considered acceptable, excluding references and standard methodological descriptions.

  • Manuscripts with a similarity index above 15% will be returned to the authors for revision or outright rejected, depending on the extent and nature of the overlap.

3. Procedure for Suspected Plagiarism

If plagiarism is suspected:

  • The Editor-in-Chief and editorial board will conduct an investigation.

  • Authors will be contacted for an explanation and given a chance to respond.

  • If plagiarism is confirmed, the manuscript may be:

    • Rejected immediately (if under review).

    • Retracted (if already published), with a retraction notice posted.

    • Reported to the authors' institution(s) or funding agencies, depending on the severity.

4. Penalties

In confirmed cases of plagiarism, IAES may impose the following penalties:

  • Rejection of the manuscript

  • Blacklisting of the author(s) for a specified period

  • Notification to affiliated institutions

  • Retraction and public disclosure (if post-publication)

5. Author Responsibility

Authors are fully responsible for the originality and authenticity of their work. They are required to:

  • Properly cite all sources.

  • Avoid copying verbatim content without quotations and references.

  • Disclose if any part of the manuscript is derived from previously published work (even their own).

Each manuscript must include a plagiarism declaration signed by the corresponding author upon submission.

6. Appeals

Authors may appeal decisions related to plagiarism by submitting a formal rebuttal. Appeals are reviewed by the editorial board or an independent ethics committee in accordance with COPE guidelines.

7. Commitment to Publication Ethics

IAES is committed to maintaining ethical publishing practices and follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) standards in all cases of suspected misconduct.