Screening & Plagiarism Policy
IGI Education screens manuscripts to protect the integrity of the scholarly record. This policy explains how IGI Education assesses originality, manages similarity findings, and handles suspected misconduct.
INSPIREE maintains this policy in-house and aligns its procedures with broadly recognized best-practice guidance, including the COPE Core Practices and related COPE resources (for reference).
1) What We Screen
All submissions may be screened during editorial handling, including (where applicable):
- text similarity/overlap (plagiarism screening)
- duplicate submission or redundant publication indicators
- image/figure integrity concerns (e.g., inappropriate manipulation)
- reference integrity (e.g., fabricated references or citation manipulation)
2) Similarity Checking (How It Works)
IGI Education may use similarity-checking tools (e.g., iThenticate or equivalent) as part of the editorial process. Similarity reports are used as decision-support tools; a similarity percentage alone does not determine misconduct.
Editors assess similarity reports contextually, considering:
- whether overlap occurs in standard terminology, methods, or properly cited quotations
- whether sources are appropriately cited and quotation marks are used where needed
- whether overlap suggests copying of original ideas, structure, or unique phrasing without attribution
- whether the submission appears to duplicate the authors’ prior publications without clear disclosure (self-plagiarism)
3) Acceptable vs. Unacceptable Overlap
Generally Acceptable (with proper citation)
- standard methods descriptions with appropriate citation and minimal copying
- legitimate quotations (short) with quotation marks and citation
- preprints that are disclosed in the cover letter and comply with journal policy (if applicable)
Unacceptable
- copying text, ideas, or figures/tables without attribution
- close paraphrasing that mirrors the source’s structure/phrasing without citation
- duplicate submission (simultaneous submission to multiple journals)
- redundant publication (“salami slicing”) or substantial reuse of one’s own published text without disclosure
- translation plagiarism (copying from another language without attribution)
- fabricated references or manipulated citations
4) Editorial Actions When Similarity Is Detected
Depending on severity and context, INSPIREE may take one or more of the following actions:
- Minor overlap: request revisions with improved paraphrasing and clearer citations before peer review.
- Moderate overlap: hold editorial processing and request a detailed author explanation and corrected manuscript.
- Severe overlap or strong evidence of plagiarism/duplicate submission: reject the manuscript and initiate a misconduct review.
5) Misconduct Review (How We Handle Allegations)
When plagiarism or other misconduct is suspected, INSPIREE follows a documented process consistent with structured best-practice approaches referenced by COPE:
- Preliminary assessment by the Editor-in-Chief/ethics lead (reviewing evidence and files).
- Author notification requesting clarification and supporting documentation within a stated timeframe.
- Editorial evaluation of the response; if concerns remain, the journal may contact the authors’ institution(s) when appropriate.
- Outcome such as revision request, rejection, or (if post-publication) correction/retraction actions.
6) Author Responsibilities
Authors must ensure manuscripts are original and appropriately cite prior work. If reusing any material (text, figures, or tables), authors must obtain required permissions and provide clear attribution. Authors must disclose any related manuscripts, preprints, or prior publications that overlap with the submitted work.
7) Contact
Questions about originality screening or reports of suspected plagiarism should be sent to:
Email: igii@igiinsight.com
Subject: Plagiarism/Screening – IGI Education
Policy owner: IGI Education Editorial Office
Policy version: v1.0 – January 02, 2025
Last updated: January 02, 2025
