Similarity Screening and Plagiarism Policy
Screening
Every manuscript submitted to the Journal of Evidence-Based Medical Research is screened for textual similarity using Turnitin before peer review, and again before acceptance.
Interpretation of Similarity Reports
The journal does not treat any single numerical threshold as determinative. Similarity reports are reviewed by an editor, who evaluates the source, location and nature of the matched text. As a working guide:
- Overall similarity above 20% excluding references and quotations, or similarity to any single source above 5%, triggers detailed editorial examination.
- Matched text in the Methods section describing a standard, previously published technique is assessed differently from matched text in the Introduction, Results or Discussion.
- Verbatim reproduction of another author's analysis, argument or interpretation is treated as plagiarism irrespective of the overall percentage.
Definitions
Plagiarism is the appropriation of another person's ideas, processes, results or words without appropriate credit.
Self-plagiarism (text recycling) is the reuse of substantial portions of one's own previously published work without acknowledgement and citation.
Consequences
Where plagiarism is identified before publication, the manuscript is rejected. Where the extent is limited and appears unintentional, the editor may instead return the manuscript for revision with a formal warning.
Where plagiarism is identified after publication, the journal proceeds under its Corrections, Retractions and Expressions of Concern Policy, and may notify the authors' institution.
Authors found to have engaged in deliberate plagiarism, data fabrication or data falsification may be barred from submitting to JEBMR for a period of 02 years, and all other submissions by the same authors under consideration at the journal will be reassessed.
Duplicate and Redundant Submission
Manuscripts under consideration elsewhere will not be considered. Authors must disclose at submission any closely related work that is published, in press or under review, and supply copies to the editor on request.
Preprints deposited on a recognised preprint server, and abstracts previously presented at conferences, do not constitute prior publication provided they are disclosed at submission.
