Plagiarism Policy for ELLINE Journal

At ELLINE Journal, we uphold rigorous standards of academic integrity and ethical conduct in scholarly publishing. Plagiarism, in any form, undermines these principles and compromises the credibility of published research. Therefore, ELLINE Journal implements the following policy to prevent, detect, and address plagiarism in submitted manuscripts:

  1. Definition of Plagiarism:

    • Direct Plagiarism: Copying verbatim text or content from another source without proper attribution, including using someone else's ideas, words, or intellectual property without acknowledgement.
    • Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rewriting or rephrasing another person's work without proper citation, making it difficult to distinguish the original source.
    • Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one's own previously published work, including data, text, or ideas, without proper citation or disclosure.

  2. Plagiarism Detection:

    • All submitted manuscripts to ELLINE Journal undergo thorough plagiarism checks using plagiarism detection software, specifically Turnitin, which compares submitted manuscripts against a vast database of academic and online sources.
    • Manuscripts found to exceed the acceptable similarity index threshold are further scrutinized by the editorial team to determine the nature and extent of the plagiarism.

  3. Acceptable Similarity Index Thresholds:

    • Overall Similarity: Manuscripts should generally have an overall similarity index of no more than 20%. This includes similarities to previously published works and sources available online.
    • AI-Generated Content: Content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) tools should not exceed a similarity index of 20%. Authors using AI tools must clearly disclose this in their manuscript and ensure proper attribution and citation of AI-generated content.

  4. Consequences of Plagiarism:

    • Initial Detection: Manuscripts with suspected plagiarism are flagged by the plagiarism detection software. The editorial team conducts a detailed assessment to verify the findings.
    • Action Taken: Depending on the severity and extent of plagiarism identified:
      • Manuscripts with minor similarities may be returned to authors for revision and proper citation.
      • Manuscripts with substantial plagiarism may be rejected outright or withdrawn from consideration.
      • Authors found to engage in plagiarism may be barred from submitting to ELLINE Journal in the future, and their institutions or funding bodies may be informed.

  5. Author Responsibilities:

    • Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submissions are original, properly cited, and free from plagiarism.
    • Use quotation marks and cite sources accurately for direct quotations, paraphrased text, and borrowed ideas.
    • Disclose any use of AI-generated content and ensure it complies with ethical guidelines and citation practices.

  6. Editorial Oversight:

    • The editorial team reviews plagiarism detection reports and investigates any flagged manuscripts thoroughly.
    • Editors may consult with experts and institutions as necessary to verify plagiarism findings and determine appropriate actions.

  7. Ethical Considerations:

    • Authors should adhere to ethical standards in research and publication, including proper attribution, transparency in data reporting, and compliance with institutional and ethical review board approvals.

By adhering to this plagiarism policy, ELLINE Journal aims to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing practices. Authors, reviewers, and editors all play critical roles in upholding these standards and ensuring that published research contributes authentically to the advancement of knowledge in English language and literature education.