PLAGIARISM POLICY

 
Plagiarism & AI-Use Policy—IJSER
Protecting originality, academic integrity, and authors’ rights
What we do
  • All submissions are checked for originality.
  • Suspected cases are reviewed carefully and fairly.
  • Actions follow clear procedures and documentation.
What is not allowed
  • Copying text/figures without proper citation.
  • Large portions reused from published sources.
  • Submitting AI-generated substantive content as original work.
Tools used
We use Turnitin to check manuscripts for plagiarism and to support AI-use detection during the initial screening stage.
⚠️
Automatic Screening Thresholds
If the similarity index is more than 20% AND any single reference/source shows more than 5%, the manuscript will be rejected and returned to the author for revision.
Similarity Index: > 20% Single Source: > 5%
Plagiarism Policy (Core Statement)

IJSER strictly prohibits, in any form, any unethical act of copying or plagiarism. Significant portions of the manuscript from previously published sources are considered plagiarism cases. Manuscripts containing plagiarism are rejected during initial screening and are not considered suitable for publication.

If plagiarism is discovered after publication, the Editor-in-Chief may seek assistance from a dedicated committee. If excessive plagiarism is confirmed, the journal may contact the author’s affiliation (college/university) and relevant funding agencies. The journal may also mark the paper as plagiarized on each page of the PDF. The extent of plagiarism will determine the formal withdrawal of the paper.

Procedures & Timeline

IJSER respects intellectual property and promotes original work. If the journal suspects plagiarism in a submitted or published manuscript, it will contact the author for an explanation within a fortnight. If the response is not satisfactory, the case may be forwarded to the Fact-Finding Committee (FFC).

We also consider:
the originality of the manuscript, co-authors’ compliance, and ensuring that the rights of participants in completing the scientific research are not violated.
Editor-in-Chief Actions (When Needed)
  1. Contact the author’s affiliation for strict action if no response is received within the specified time.
  2. Remove the published PDF and disable full-text links; add “Plagiarized Manuscript” to the title.
  3. Suspend the author’s account; reject future submissions for 5–10 years or permanently ban the author.
  4. Publish a list of such authors on the journal website with their full contact information.
  5. Formally object to any unethical behavior, including copying or plagiarism.
Artificial Intelligence Detection System

The journal employs a rigorous system (Turnitin) to help identify potential utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in preparing submitted manuscripts. This supports originality and integrity by flagging content that appears to be generated or significantly altered by AI systems.

Allowed vs Not Allowed
  • Allowed: ethical AI use for data analysis, proofreading, and language editing.
  • Not allowed: illegitimate creation of substantive scientific content presented as original work.
  • Disclosure: authors must disclose AI use; noncompliance may lead to rejection.
Sponsors
College of Engineering, Al-Iraqia University, Baghdad, Iraq.