Lifescience Global uses the iThenticate software, which detects instances of overlapping and similar text in submitted manuscripts. This software checks content against a database of periodicals, the Internet, and a comprehensive article database. It generates a similarity report, highlighting the percentage overlap between the uploaded article and the published material. Any instance of content overlap is further scrutinized for suspected plagiarism according to the publisher's Editorial Policies. If the similarity seems legitimate, the article will proceed for the further review process; however, the authors have to edit the text as per editorial guidance in cases of extreme plagiarism.
Lifescience Global strictly follows the COPE guidelines to detect plagiarism; for more clear insight, authors may refer to flowcharts provided by COPE by clicking here or by visiting the COPE website.
Low Text Similarity
The text of every submitted manuscript is checked by using the Content Tracking mode in iThenticate. The Content Tracking mode ensures that manuscripts with an overall low percentage similarity (but which may have a higher similarity from a single source) are not overlooked. If the similarity level is significantly increased, then the manuscript is returned to the author for paraphrasing the text and citing the original source of the copied material.
It is essential to mention that the text taken from different sources with an overall low similarity percentage will be considered plagiarized content if most of the article is a combination of copied material.
High Text Similarity
Some manuscripts may have an overall low similarity percentage but a higher rate from a single source. For instance, a manuscript may have less than 20% overall similarity only may take 15 % similar text from a single article; the similarity index in such cases is higher than the approved limit for a single source. Authors are advised to thoroughly rephrase the similar text and properly cite the original source to avoid plagiarism and copyright violation.
TYPES OF PLAGIARISM:
We all know that scholarly manuscripts are written after a thorough review of previously published articles. It is, therefore, not easy to draw a clear boundary between legitimate representation and plagiarism. However, the following important features can assist in identifying different kinds of plagiarized content. These are:
- Reproduction of others' words, sentences, ideas, or findings as one's own without proper acknowledgment.
- Text recycling, also known as self-plagiarism. An author uses a previous publication in another paper without proper citation and acknowledgment of the original source.
- Paraphrasing poorly: Copying complete paragraphs and modifying a few words without changing the structure of original sentences or changing the sentence structure but not the words.
- Verbatim copying of text without putting quotation marks and not acknowledging the work of the original author.
- They are correctly citing a work but poorly paraphrasing the original text is considered unintentional plagiarism. Similarly, manuscripts with language somewhere between paraphrasing and quoting are not acceptable. Authors should either paraphrase properly or quote and, in both cases, cite the original source.
- Higher similarity in the abstract, introduction, materials and methods, and discussion and conclusion sections indicates that the manuscript may contain plagiarized text. Authors can easily explain these parts of the manuscript in many ways. However, technical terms and sometimes standard procedures cannot be rephrased; therefore, Editors must review these sections carefully before making a decision.
PLAGIARISM IN PUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS:
Published manuscripts containing plagiarized text are retracted from the journal website after careful investigation and approval by the Journal's Editor-in-Chief. A 'Retraction Note' and a link to the original article are published on the electronic version of the plagiarized manuscript and an addendum with retraction notification in the journal concerned.
