Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy

Intermestic: Journal of International Studies is committed to originality, proper attribution, and academic integrity. Plagiarism and other forms of inappropriate textual or intellectual appropriation are unacceptable.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes presenting another person's words, ideas, data, arguments, images, or other intellectual contributions as one's own without appropriate acknowledgment. It may involve direct copying, inadequate paraphrasing, unattributed translation, misuse of figures or tables, and other forms of misappropriation.

The journal also considers self-plagiarism, redundant publication, duplicate submission, inappropriate text recycling, and undisclosed substantial overlap with previously published work as potential publication ethics concerns.

Similarity alone does not establish plagiarism. Properly cited quotations, references, standard methodological descriptions, and commonly used terminology may produce text matches that require contextual assessment.

Similarity Screening

Submitted manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism detection or text similarity tools, including Turnitin or other tools available to the journal. Screening may be conducted at initial submission, during peer review, or before publication.

The editorial team evaluates similarity reports in context, considering the nature, location, extent, and attribution of matching material.

The journal does not apply a similarity percentage as the sole basis for determining plagiarism. Editorial decisions are based on a substantive assessment of the manuscript and the evidence available.

Editorial Action

Where potential plagiarism or inappropriate overlap is identified, the journal may:

1. Request an explanation or clarification from the authors.
2. Require appropriate citation, correction, or revision where the issue is minor and remediable.
3. Reject the manuscript where serious or unacceptable overlap is established.
4. Refer the matter to the authors' institutions or relevant authorities when warranted.
5. Consider a correction, expression of concern, or retraction if the article has already been published.

The seriousness of the issue, the authors' response, and the reliability of the evidence will inform the action taken.

Author Responsibility

Authors must ensure that all sources are properly acknowledged and that permissions are obtained where necessary. Manuscripts must not be submitted simultaneously to multiple journals.

All authors are responsible for the originality and integrity of the submitted work. Misrepresentation of authorship, fabricated citations, manipulated references, and other practices intended to conceal the origin of scholarly material are not acceptable.

Fair Assessment and Appeals

Authors may submit a written explanation or appeal an editorial decision by providing relevant evidence. The Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately appointed independent editor will assess the matter, taking account of confidentiality, fairness, and the integrity of the scholarly record.

The journal aims to handle all concerns consistently and without discrimination.