Plagiarism Policy

Peradaban Journal of Religion and Society (PJRS) considers plagiarism and other forms of inappropriate appropriation of published or unpublished scholarly work to be serious violations of publication ethics. The journal is committed to maintaining the originality and integrity of all published content.

1. Plagiarism Screening

All submitted manuscripts are screened using Turnitin to identify textual similarities with previously published and publicly available materials. Similarity screening may also be conducted on revised manuscripts and the final version of accepted articles before publication.

As a general editorial screening guideline, a maximum similarity index of 25% is permitted for submitted manuscripts. Manuscripts with a similarity index exceeding 25% may be returned to the authors for revision before they can proceed to further editorial evaluation.

The 25% threshold is used as a screening guideline and does not, by itself, determine whether plagiarism has occurred. The editorial team evaluates the similarity report by considering the nature, extent, location, and sources of overlapping text, including whether the overlap results from legitimate quotations, references, commonly used terminology, methodological expressions, or other acceptable forms of textual similarity.

2. Assessment of Similarity

A similarity index above 25% does not automatically constitute plagiarism, while plagiarism may occur even when the overall similarity index is below 25%. Editorial decisions are therefore based on a substantive assessment of the similarity report rather than on the percentage alone.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all ideas, words, data, arguments, and other materials derived from external sources are appropriately acknowledged and cited.

Where the similarity identified is primarily due to legitimate or properly cited material, the manuscript may proceed through the editorial process. Where inappropriate textual overlap is identified, the manuscript may be returned to the authors for clarification, correction, or revision.

3. Levels of Plagiarism

PJRS assesses suspected plagiarism according to the nature and seriousness of the violation.

Minor Plagiarism

Minor plagiarism involves limited inappropriate textual overlap, such as a short passage reproduced without adequate citation, where no substantial original idea, argument, data, or research finding has been appropriated.

Editorial action: The authors may be asked to revise the affected passages and provide appropriate citation or attribution. A warning may be issued where appropriate.

Moderate Plagiarism

Moderate plagiarism involves substantial portions of text, arguments, or material reproduced from another source without appropriate attribution, but without clear evidence of the appropriation of the core findings or original contribution of another work.

Editorial action: The manuscript may be rejected or returned for substantial correction, depending on the circumstances and the stage of the editorial process.

Severe Plagiarism

Severe plagiarism involves substantial appropriation of another work's original ideas, arguments, data, findings, or other significant intellectual contributions, including substantial reproduction of another publication presented as the authors' own work.

Editorial action: The manuscript will normally be rejected. The journal may undertake further investigation and, where appropriate, notify relevant institutions or take other measures consistent with the journal's publication ethics policy.

4. Plagiarism Identified After Publication

If plagiarism or other forms of publication misconduct are identified after an article has been published, PJRS will investigate the matter and take appropriate action based on the evidence and seriousness of the case.

Possible actions include the publication of a correction, expression of concern, or retraction of the article. In serious cases, the journal may also communicate with the authors' affiliated institutions or other relevant parties.

5. Author Responsibility

All authors are collectively responsible for the originality and ethical integrity of the manuscript they submit to PJRS. By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that the work is original, that sources have been properly acknowledged, and that the manuscript does not contain plagiarized or improperly appropriated material.

Where plagiarism or other publication misconduct is established, PJRS may take appropriate action against the manuscript or published article in accordance with its Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement.