Plagiarism Screening

Plagiarism Screening Policy for JEBE: Journal of Environment Behavior and Engineering

JEBE: Journal of Environment Behavior and Engineering is committed to upholding academic integrity and ensuring the originality of all published work. Below is our plagiarism screening policy:

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as the act of presenting another individual’s ideas, text, data, or creative work as one’s own without proper acknowledgment, citation, or permission. This includes:

Verbatim copying of text without quotation marks or attribution.
Paraphrasing another’s work without credit.
Reusing figures, tables, or datasets without permission.

2. Screening Process

Tool: All submissions are screened using Turnitin software.
Scope: The entire manuscript is checked, with emphasis on:
- Introduction: Conceptual frameworks and literature reviews.
- Methods: Experimental protocols or analytical procedures.
- Results: Data presentation and interpretation.
- Discussion: Comparative analysis and conclusions.
Exclusions: The following are excluded from similarity calculations:
- References.
- Common knowledge (e.g., standard environmental regulations).
- Technical terms or phrases unavoidable in the field (e.g., “life cycle assessment”).

3. Acceptable Similarity Threshold

Maximum Allowable Similarity: 25% (excluding references and exclusions above).
Outcomes:
- <25%: Proceed to peer review.
- 25–35%: Returned for revision with Turnitin report.
- >35%: Immediate rejection.

4. Self-Plagiarism (Text Recycling)

Definition: Reusing substantial portions of one’s own previously published work without citation.
Policy:
- Up to 10% overlap with prior work is permitted if properly cited.
- Redundant publication of the same data/results across multiple journals is prohibited.

5. Actions Against Plagiarism

Pre-Publication:
- Rejection of manuscripts exceeding the similarity threshold.
- Mandatory revision for borderline cases (25–35%).
Post-Publication:
- Retraction of articles with confirmed plagiarism.
- Notification to the author’s institution or funding agency.
- Blacklisting of authors for 2–5 years depending on severity.

6. Recommendations for Authors

To avoid plagiarism:

Cite Properly: Use APA/Chicago style for all sources, including:
- Environmental policy documents.
- Technical reports or datasets (e.g., government pollution statistics).
Paraphrase Effectively: Rewrite ideas in your own words while retaining original meaning.
Use Quotation Marks: For direct text borrowings (e.g., definitions from regulations).
Cross-Check: Compare drafts against prior publications using plagiarism checkers.

7. Final Decision Authority

The JEBE Editorial Board reserves the right to:

Interpret similarity reports contextually (e.g., unavoidable overlap in methodology descriptions).
Impose sanctions beyond stated policies for severe cases (e.g., data fabrication).