Plagiarism Policy

1. Introduction

Agricultural and Biotechnological Reflections (ABR) is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity. Plagiarism undermines the credibility of scientific research and compromises the ethical values of the academic community. This policy outlines ABR's approach to preventing, detecting, and addressing plagiarism in the manuscripts submitted for publication.

2. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as the act of using someone else's ideas, words, or work without proper acknowledgment, presenting it as one's own. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Copying text, data, or figures without citation.
  • Paraphrasing or summarizing another author's work without appropriate attribution.
  • Submitting the same manuscript or significant portions of it to multiple journals (self-plagiarism or duplicate submission).
  • Using published material (including ideas, tables, figures, etc.) without permission or citation.

3. Preventive Measures

ABR encourages authors to adhere to the following guidelines to prevent plagiarism:

  • Proper citation: Authors must properly cite all sources, data, and works they have used to support their research.
  • Use of plagiarism detection software: Authors are encouraged to check their manuscripts for plagiarism using software such as Turnitin or iThenticate before submitting.
  • Clear attribution: All direct quotes, ideas, data, or images taken from other sources should be clearly indicated, with citations in the appropriate format.

4. Detection of Plagiarism

ABR uses advanced plagiarism detection tools, including iThenticate or Turnitin, to screen all submitted manuscripts for potential plagiarism. The detection process is conducted as part of the initial submission screening before peer review, as well as during the revision process. Authors are required to submit only original content that has not been previously published elsewhere.

5. Handling Plagiarism

If a manuscript is found to contain plagiarized content, the editorial team will take the following actions based on the severity of the issue:

  • Minor plagiarism: If the plagiarism is deemed minor (e.g., inadvertent or small instances of un-cited paraphrasing), the author will be given the opportunity to revise the manuscript by properly citing the sources or rewriting the plagiarized sections.
  • Major plagiarism: In cases of significant plagiarism (e.g., substantial portions of the manuscript copied verbatim from other sources without proper attribution), the manuscript will be rejected. The authors will be notified of the issue, and they may be given an opportunity to revise the manuscript if appropriate.
  • Multiple or repeated incidents of plagiarism: If an author is found to have engaged in repeated instances of plagiarism or self-plagiarism across multiple submissions, the journal may impose additional sanctions, such as banning the author from submitting future manuscripts to the journal.

6. Retraction of Published Articles

In the event that plagiarism is discovered after an article has been published, ABR will follow the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines for article retraction. The article will be retracted from the journal’s website and an official notice of retraction will be issued. The retraction notice will clearly state the reasons for retraction, including the discovery of plagiarism.

7. Transparency and Ethical Responsibility

ABR expects authors, reviewers, and editors to act with the highest level of professionalism and ethical responsibility. All parties involved in the publication process should uphold the principles of integrity, transparency, and fairness. Any case of suspected plagiarism will be treated seriously and investigated thoroughly.

8. Responsibility of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to ABR are responsible for ensuring that their work is free from plagiarism. It is the author's duty to:

  • Ensure that all sources are properly cited.
  • Acknowledge contributions made by others.
  • Maintain the highest standards of academic integrity.

9. Responsibility of Reviewers and Editors

Reviewers and editors are expected to:

  • Inform the editorial team immediately if they suspect plagiarism in any submitted manuscript.
  • Evaluate manuscripts impartially and in accordance with ethical guidelines.
  • Protect the confidentiality of the review process, particularly regarding the content of manuscripts.

10. Consequences of Plagiarism

Failure to adhere to the plagiarism policy may result in one or more of the following consequences:

  • Immediate rejection of the manuscript.
  • Retraction of the published article.
  • Banning of the author(s) from submitting future manuscripts to ABR.
  • Notification of the affiliated institution about the plagiarism.

11. Policy Review

This plagiarism policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure it remains aligned with the best practices in academic publishing. Updates to this policy will be communicated to all authors, reviewers, and editors.