Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy and Academic Integrity

The EcoBiotics: Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences (EJAPS) is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. Plagiarism, in any form, undermines the credibility of scholarly work and is strictly prohibited. To ensure originality and maintain trust in academic communication, EJAPS enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers to the use of another individual’s ideas, words, data, images, or intellectual contributions without proper acknowledgment. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Direct Copying: Reproducing text from any source without quotation marks and appropriate citation.

  • Paraphrasing: Rewriting another author’s work, ideas, or conclusions without proper credit.

  • Unacknowledged Use of Data: Using tables, figures, images, or datasets without proper referencing.

  • Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one’s own previously published or submitted work without disclosure or proper citation.

Plagiarism Threshold

  • EJAPS Standard: The similarity index of submitted manuscripts must not exceed 10%.

  • HEC Benchmark (Pakistan): While the Higher Education Commission permits up to 15% similarity, EJAPS adopts a stricter limit to promote academic excellence.

Detection and Prevention

  • Plagiarism Screening: All submissions are evaluated using recognized plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin) prior to peer review.

  • Author Responsibility: Authors are fully responsible for ensuring that their work is original, properly cited, and free from any form of intellectual property violation.

Handling of Plagiarism

Type of Plagiarism Editorial Action
Minor (e.g., citation errors) Manuscript returned for correction and proper referencing.
Major (e.g., significant unattributed copying) Immediate rejection; if published, the article will be retracted.
Severe or Repeated Violations Authors may be blacklisted, and their institutions or funding bodies may be notified.

Author Declaration

All authors are required to submit a Statement of Originality, confirming that:

  • The manuscript is original and has not been published previously.

  • All sources have been properly cited.

  • The manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere.

Appeals Process

Authors who believe a plagiarism decision has been made in error may submit a formal appeal. All appeals are reviewed by the EJAPS Editorial Board, and decisions are made based on a fair and comprehensive evaluation.

Transparency and Retraction Policy

In cases where plagiarism is confirmed after publication, EJAPS will issue a formal retraction notice clearly stating the reason for retraction. This ensures transparency and preserves the integrity of the scholarly record.

Use of AI-Generated Content

EJAPS strictly prohibits the use of AI-generated content (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Bard, etc.) in any part of submitted manuscripts. Submissions must reflect original human scholarship and independent intellectual effort.

  • AI-generated or AI-assisted content is not permitted in the abstract, methodology, results, or discussion sections.

  • Manuscripts must contain 0% AI-generated content.

  • Violations of this policy will be treated as academic misconduct and may result in rejection or retraction.

EJAPS remains committed to ethical publishing practices and expects all contributors to adhere strictly to these standards.