Plagiarsm Policy

Plagiarism Screening Policy


Plagiarism Screening

Contractus is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and publication ethics. All manuscripts submitted to the journal are subject to plagiarism screening before entering the peer review process.

The Editorial Board uses Turnitin Similarity Check and editorial assessment to detect potential plagiarism, duplicate publication, self-plagiarism, and other forms of academic misconduct.

Similarity Threshold

Contractus applies the following similarity standards:

  • ? 15% Similarity Index: Eligible to proceed to the editorial review process.

  • 16%–25% Similarity Index: Returned to the author for revision, clarification, and resubmission.

  • > 25% Similarity Index: Rejected due to excessive textual similarity.

The overall similarity percentage is not the sole basis for editorial decisions. Editors also evaluate the nature, location, and context of the similarities identified.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as the use of another person's ideas, words, data, figures, tables, or intellectual work without proper acknowledgment and attribution.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Direct copying without citation;

  • Inadequate paraphrasing;

  • Improper citation practices;

  • Self-plagiarism or redundant publication;

  • Data plagiarism;

  • Figure or table plagiarism;

  • Duplicate submission and duplicate publication.

Editorial Policy

All submitted manuscripts must:

  • Be original works of the author(s);

  • Not have been published previously;

  • Not be under review by another journal simultaneously;

  • Properly acknowledge all sources used.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all quotations, paraphrased materials, figures, tables, and other borrowed content are appropriately cited.

Where copyrighted material is reproduced, authors must obtain written permission from the copyright holder before submission.

Classification of Plagiarism

Minor Plagiarism

Minor plagiarism refers to:

  • Small portions of copied text;

  • Inadequate citation;

  • Minor paraphrasing deficiencies;

  • Limited overlap that does not affect the originality of the study.

Editorial Action:

  • Authors will be requested to revise the manuscript.

  • Proper citation and attribution must be added before further consideration.

Moderate Plagiarism

Moderate plagiarism refers to:

  • Significant textual overlap without proper attribution;

  • Extensive copying from previously published sources;

  • Substantial self-plagiarism or redundant publication.

Editorial Action:

  • Manuscript rejection.

  • Authors may be required to provide clarification before future submissions are considered.

Severe Plagiarism

Severe plagiarism refers to:

  • Misappropriation of another author's original ideas, data, findings, or conclusions;

  • Duplicate publication of substantially identical work;

  • Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of research content;

  • Intentional academic misconduct.

Editorial Action:

  • Immediate rejection.

  • Formal investigation by the Editorial Board.

  • Notification to authors' affiliated institutions when appropriate.

  • Additional sanctions may be imposed in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Self-Plagiarism

Authors must properly disclose and cite their previously published work.

Reusing substantial portions of one's own published material without proper citation constitutes self-plagiarism and may result in rejection of the manuscript.

Exceptions may apply for:

  • Methodology descriptions;

  • Conference papers substantially expanded into journal articles;

  • Translated publications with proper disclosure and permissions.

In all cases, authors must clearly identify previous publications and obtain any necessary permissions.

Duplicate Submission

Simultaneous submission of the same or substantially similar manuscript to more than one journal is considered unethical publishing behavior.

If duplicate submission is detected, the manuscript will be rejected and appropriate actions may be taken in accordance with publication ethics guidelines.

Post-Publication Discovery

If plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct are identified after publication, Contractus will follow COPE procedures and may issue:

  • Corrections;

  • Expressions of Concern;

  • Retractions;

  • Article Removal (in exceptional circumstances).

Author Responsibility

All authors share collective responsibility for the originality and integrity of the submitted manuscript.

By submitting a manuscript to Contractus, authors confirm that:

  • The manuscript is original;

  • Proper citations have been provided;

  • The manuscript does not violate copyright laws;

  • The manuscript complies with the journal's publication ethics standards.