Plagiarism and Data Fabrication

Plagiarism & Research Integrity Policy

Originality and Attribution

The manuscript must be an original work. Authors are required to properly cite all works, words, ideas, or figures by others used within their manuscript. All sources must be appropriately acknowledged. Any verbatim reuse of text must be enclosed in quotation marks and cited.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism poses a critical threat to scholarly quality and academic integrity and is unacceptable in any form in IJEA. It includes, but is not limited to:

  • Presenting another's work as one's own.

  • Copying or paraphrasing substantial portions of another's work without proper attribution.

  • Using research data, images, or other materials produced by others without permission and appropriate credit.

Screening Process

IJEA employs Turnitin software to screen all submitted manuscripts for text duplication and plagiarism. The maximum acceptable similarity index is 20%, excluding references and quoted text. Editors may also use other tools (e.g., Grammarly) as needed. Manuscripts exceeding this threshold or showing signs of unethical copying will be subject to further investigation.

Editorial Procedure for Suspected Plagiarism

If plagiarism is suspected during peer review, the IJEA editorial team will follow the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). If plagiarism is confirmed, the manuscript will be immediately rejected. In cases of published articles where plagiarism is discovered post-publication, the article will be retracted.

Prohibition of Data and Image Manipulation

Unethical research practices are strictly forbidden. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Fabrication or falsification of research data.

  • Inappropriate manipulation of images, figures, or other visual objects to misrepresent findings.

  • Deliberate selection of analytical tools or methodologies to force a specific, unsupported conclusion.

Author Responsibilities

Authors must present an accurate and honest account of their performed work, particularly concerning data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Underlying data must be represented truthfully in the manuscript. The study should contain sufficient detail and references to allow for replication. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are grounds for rejection or retraction.