Plagiarism Policy

The Journal of Personnel Management (JPM), published by SMARCONS (Society of Management Research and Consultancy), is committed to maintaining high standards of academic integrity and does not tolerate plagiarism, unattributed copying, inappropriate text reuse, or other forms of intellectual misappropriation.

JPM follows relevant guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when evaluating and responding to suspected plagiarism and related publication misconduct.

All manuscripts submitted to JPM are subject to originality and similarity screening as part of the journal’s editorial process.

Definition of Plagiarism

For the purposes of this policy, plagiarism includes presenting another person’s words, ideas, data, results, figures, tables, images, arguments, or other intellectual material as one’s own without appropriate acknowledgement or attribution.

Plagiarism may include, but is not limited to:

  • Direct copying of text without quotation or appropriate citation

  • Substantial paraphrasing without acknowledgement of the original source

  • Using another person’s ideas, data, results, figures, tables, or other material without appropriate attribution or permission where required

  • Copying material from websites, reports, theses, dissertations, conference papers, articles, books, or other sources without proper acknowledgement

  • Translation of material from another language without attribution

  • Inappropriate reuse of previously published material

  • Presenting previously published work as new or original research

The journal also considers inappropriate reuse of an author’s own previously published material, commonly referred to as text recycling or self-plagiarism, in accordance with relevant publication-ethics principles.

Plagiarism and Similarity Screening Procedure

Every manuscript submitted to JPM is screened for similarity using plagiarism-detection software such as iThenticate and/or Turnitin before proceeding to external peer review.

The editorial team reviews the similarity report to determine:

  • The overall similarity level

  • Similarity attributable to individual sources

  • Whether matching text has been appropriately quoted and cited

  • Whether overlapping material represents common or unavoidable terminology

  • Whether the manuscript contains inappropriate text reuse

  • Whether any data, results, figures, tables, ideas, or other material appear to have been reproduced without acknowledgement

  • Whether the overlap may constitute duplicate or redundant publication

Similarity screening may also be repeated after revision, before final acceptance, or at any other stage where the editor considers additional checking necessary.

Similarity Screening Thresholds

As an editorial screening standard, JPM normally expects:

  • Overall similarity to remain below 18%

  • Similarity from any single source not to exceed 5%

These percentages are used as screening indicators and not as automatic measures of plagiarism.

A similarity score by itself does not establish whether plagiarism has occurred. Likewise, a manuscript with a similarity score below the stated thresholds may still contain problematic unattributed material.

Editors assess the nature, location, source, and extent of matched material when reaching a decision.

Appropriately cited quotations, reference lists, standard methodological terminology, commonly used technical expressions, institutional names, declarations, and other legitimate similarities may be considered separately at the editor’s discretion.

The editorial team therefore evaluates the substance of the similarity report rather than relying solely on the numerical similarity score.

Manuscripts Exceeding the Similarity Threshold

Where a manuscript exceeds the journal’s similarity screening thresholds, the editorial team will review the similarity report before determining the appropriate action.

Depending on the nature and extent of the overlap, the journal may:

  • Request clarification from the author

  • Return the manuscript for correction and appropriate citation

  • Require substantial rewriting of overlapping material

  • Request removal or proper attribution of duplicated content

  • Conduct further investigation

  • Reject the manuscript where substantial or deliberate plagiarism is identified

Exceeding the similarity threshold does not automatically result in rejection where the matched material is legitimate, properly attributed, or otherwise satisfactorily explained.

However, serious plagiarism or misappropriation of intellectual material may result in immediate rejection.

Minor or Correctable Overlap

Where the overlap involves limited copying, inadequate paraphrasing, missing citations, or another issue that appears correctable and does not constitute serious plagiarism, the editor may return the manuscript to the authors for revision.

Authors may be required to:

  • Rewrite overlapping passages in their own words

  • Add missing citations

  • Use quotation marks where direct quotations are appropriate

  • Correct inaccurate or incomplete attribution

  • Provide clarification regarding the source of overlapping material

The manuscript may be screened again after revision.

Completion of revision does not guarantee acceptance or progression to peer review.

Suspected Serious Plagiarism Before Publication

Where substantial plagiarism is suspected in a submitted manuscript, JPM will investigate the matter in accordance with relevant COPE guidance and the journal’s publication-ethics procedures.

The investigation may include:

  • Examining the similarity report

  • Comparing the submitted manuscript with the original source

  • Assessing the amount and nature of copied material

  • Examining whether appropriate attribution was provided

  • Requesting an explanation from the corresponding author

  • Seeking clarification from all authors where necessary

  • Consulting additional editorial or subject experts where appropriate

If serious plagiarism is confirmed before publication, the manuscript may be rejected.

Where appropriate and proportionate to the seriousness of the matter, the journal may also communicate its concerns to relevant institutions or other responsible bodies in accordance with applicable publication-ethics procedures.

Plagiarism Identified After Publication

Allegations of plagiarism concerning an article that has already been published will be investigated carefully and fairly.

The journal will review the available evidence and may request an explanation from the authors before determining the appropriate action.

Depending on the nature, extent, and seriousness of the plagiarism, JPM may take one or more actions, including:

  • Publishing a correction

  • Publishing an editorial notice

  • Issuing an Expression of Concern

  • Retracting the article

  • Linking relevant notices clearly to the published article

  • Updating relevant article metadata

  • Notifying appropriate institutions or other parties where warranted

Retraction or other corrective action will be undertaken in accordance with the journal’s Corrections and Retractions Policy and relevant publication-ethics guidance.

The original scholarly record will be maintained transparently where a correction, retraction, or other publication notice is issued.

Duplicate and Redundant Publication

Authors must not submit manuscripts that have already been published substantially elsewhere or that are simultaneously under consideration by another journal.

Where substantial overlap exists with an author’s previously published work, the earlier work must be appropriately cited and the new manuscript must make a sufficiently original contribution.

Suspected duplicate or redundant publication will be assessed separately from plagiarism where appropriate.

JPM may reject manuscripts that reproduce substantial portions of previously published work without sufficient justification, disclosure, citation, or original contribution.

Use of Previously Published Material

Authors are responsible for ensuring that any previously published material included in their manuscript is used lawfully and appropriately.

Where required, authors must obtain permission to reproduce copyrighted:

  • Figures

  • Tables

  • Images

  • Illustrations

  • Questionnaires

  • Scales

  • Extensive quotations

  • Other third-party material

Proper citation alone does not replace the need to obtain permission where copyright permission is legally required.

Author Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for submitting original scholarly work and ensuring that all material derived from other sources is appropriately acknowledged.

By submitting a manuscript to JPM, authors confirm that:

  • The manuscript is original

  • Sources have been appropriately acknowledged and cited

  • The manuscript does not contain plagiarized material

  • Previously published material has been properly identified and attributed

  • Necessary permissions have been obtained for copyrighted third-party material where required

  • The manuscript has not been published elsewhere in substantially the same form, except where appropriately disclosed and permissible

  • The manuscript is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal

  • Any overlap with the authors’ previous publications has been appropriately disclosed and cited

Authors are responsible for the accuracy and integrity of these declarations.

Editorial Responsibility

Similarity reports and plagiarism allegations are reviewed by the editorial team rather than being determined solely by automated software.

Editors will consider the context, extent, source, attribution, and significance of overlapping material before making an editorial decision.

The journal seeks to distinguish between:

  • Legitimate similarity

  • Correctly attributed material

  • Minor or correctable overlap

  • Inappropriate text recycling

  • Duplicate or redundant publication

  • Serious plagiarism or intellectual misappropriation

Decisions will be made on the evidence available and the circumstances of each case.

Confidentiality and Fair Investigation

Allegations of plagiarism will be handled confidentially and objectively.

Authors will normally be provided an opportunity to respond to significant concerns before a final misconduct determination is reached, except where immediate editorial action is necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

The journal will avoid making unsupported allegations and will base corrective or disciplinary action on the available evidence.

Relationship to Other Journal Policies

This Plagiarism Screening Policy should be read together with JPM’s relevant policies, including its:

  • Peer Review Policy

  • Publication Ethics Policy

  • Corrections and Retractions Policy

  • Conflict of Interest Policy

  • Author Guidelines

  • Copyright and Licensing Policy

Where suspected plagiarism involves broader research or publication misconduct, the relevant journal policies may also apply.

Policy Review

JPM may periodically review and update this policy to reflect developments in plagiarism-detection practices, publication ethics, research integrity, and relevant scholarly-publishing standards.

Material changes to the journal’s plagiarism-screening procedures will be reflected in the publicly available policy.

Contact

Editorial Office
Journal of Personnel Management (JPM)
Email: jpm@smarcons.cm