The journal of Qualitative Research in Educational Sciences is firmly committed to upholding the principles of academic integrity and protecting the intellectual property rights of researchers. Preventing and combating plagiarism is considered a core policy of this journal. Plagiarism refers to the unethical act of using others' texts, ideas, data, or findings without proper citation and acknowledgment of the original source, thereby violating the norms of academic honesty and research ethics.
Definition and Types of Plagiarism: Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:
- Direct copying of another author’s text without proper citation.
- Paraphrasing or rewording ideas and results of others without acknowledgment.
- Self-plagiarism, where authors submit their previously published work as a new article without proper reference.
- Using data, tables, and images from other sources without permission or proper credit.
Journal's Anti-Plagiarism Policy
- Similarity Check using Plagiarism Detection Software: All submitted manuscripts are screened using reliable plagiarism detection tools (Hamtajoo) prior to peer review. The acceptable similarity index is set at less than 15%, excluding references and common technical phrases.
- Handling Identified Cases of Plagiarism: In cases of minor plagiarism, the manuscript will be returned to the authors for necessary corrections. However, in cases of extensive plagiarism (substantial copying without attribution), the manuscript will be immediately rejected, and the authors will be informed accordingly. Proven cases of deliberate plagiarism will be reported to the relevant academic authorities or institutions.
- Author Responsibility: The accuracy and originality of the content, as well as proper citation of all utilized sources, are the sole responsibility of the authors. Submission of a manuscript to this journal indicates the authors’ commitment to uphold these ethical standards.
- Awareness and Education: Qualitative Research in Educational Sciences believes that the prevention of plagiarism is best achieved through continuous education and promotion of research ethics. Therefore, guidelines on proper citation practices and awareness about plagiarism will be made available to authors.
The Qualitative Research in Educational Sciences adheres strictly to the ethical publishing standards set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and considers anti-plagiarism efforts as an essential part of its editorial policies. Compliance with this policy is mandatory for all authors, editors, and reviewers associated with the journal.