Al-Mu'tabar will conduct an investigation into allegations of academic misconduct such as plagiarism or data fabrication for every submitted article. Before submitting an article, authors are required to ensure that the article is original work.

Types of Plagiarism
Authors should be aware of different types of plagiarism:

1. Direct Plagiarism: Copying someone else's work word-for-word without quotation marks or proper citation. Consequence: This is considered a serious violation and can lead to rejection of the article and disciplinary action.
2. Self-Plagiarism: Reusing significant parts of one's own previously published work without acknowledgment. Consequence: This undermines the novelty of research and may result in rejection.
3. Mosaic Plagiarism: Borrowing phrases from a source and mixing them with one’s own words without proper citation. Consequence: This can mislead readers and may lead to rejection or disciplinary measures.
4. Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rephrasing someone else's ideas or text without proper citation. Consequence: This is still a form of plagiarism and can result in rejection.
5. Accidental Plagiarism: Failing to cite sources correctly due to oversight or lack of knowledge about citation rules. Consequence: While unintentional, it may still result in rejection if the oversight is significant.

Understanding Similarity Score

A similarity score indicates the percentage of text in an article that matches other sources. This score is generated by plagiarism detection tools, which analyze the text for overlaps with published materials. A higher similarity score may suggest potential plagiarism or lack of originality.

To maintain academic integrity, the maximum acceptable similarity score is 25%. Articles with a similarity score above 25% will be rejected for publication. The journal's section editors will check the articles using plagiarism detection tools like Turnitin during both the review and revision stages. The results of the plagiarism/similarity check must be below 25%. If it exceeds this threshold, the article will be rejected.

All sources listed in the bibliography must be properly cited in the text. If citations are found without corresponding entries in the bibliography, or vice versa, the article will be considered as committing plagiarism. All quotes must be enclosed in quotation marks and followed by a complete source reference. Paraphrased quotes must also include a source reference.

Copying and pasting from other sources without quotation marks and references is prohibited, as this is considered serious plagiarism. If there are similarities in style, ideas, or thought processes that closely resemble other sources without proper citation or reference, the article may be rejected for publication.

Complaints and Appeals in Cases of Plagiarism

Any party may submit a written complaint regarding suspected plagiarism in published articles or editorial processes related to plagiarism. Complaints should be sent to the Editor-in-Chief via email at [email protected], providing full details and supporting evidence for the concern. The editorial team will conduct a thorough and impartial investigation of all complaints related to plagiarism.

Investigation Process

1. The complainant will receive an acknowledgment of receipt within 7 days.
2. The investigation will be led by the Editor-in-Chief or an assigned editor not involved in the original matter.
3. Relevant individuals may be contacted to obtain additional information.
4. The investigation will be completed within 30 days of receipt whenever possible.

Response

1. The complainant will be notified of the investigation findings in writing.
2. Appropriate actions will be taken, such as corrections, retractions, or other remedies if plagiarism is confirmed.
3. The complainant has the right to request reconsideration by the Editor-in-Chief.

Appeals

Authors or readers may appeal editorial decisions related to plagiarism cases in writing to the Editor-in-Chief. Appeals must provide a detailed rationale for reconsideration of the matter. An independent appeals committee will review the case and investigation materials. The committee’s decision will be communicated to the appellant and will be considered final.

Finally, the bibliography must follow the reference style specified by the journal, which is the chicago style 17-th edition.