Plagiarism Policy

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Plagiarism Policy

Discover Economics and Finance: An International Journal (eISSN: [to be assigned]) is firmly committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, originality, and transparency in scholarly publishing. Upholding ethical research practices is a core value of our journal, and any form of plagiarism is treated as a serious violation of academic and professional ethics.

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves the use of another person’s ideas, text, data, or research findings without appropriate acknowledgment. It misrepresents original intellectual contributions and undermines the credibility of scientific communication. The following forms of plagiarism are strictly prohibited:

  • Direct Plagiarism: Copying text, figures, data, or tables verbatim from another source without citation or quotation marks.
  • Mosaic or Patchwork Plagiarism: Reusing portions of another author’s work by making superficial modifications or rearrangements without proper acknowledgment.
  • Self-Plagiarism (Redundant Publication): Reusing significant portions of one’s previously published work without disclosure or citation, including data, figures, or identical text.
  • Data or Figure Plagiarism: Using data sets, charts, models, or graphical content from another researcher without permission or citation.
  • Improper Paraphrasing: Restating ideas or arguments from other sources with minimal alteration in wording or structure without due credit.

2. Plagiarism Detection Process

All manuscripts submitted to Discover Economics and Finance undergo plagiarism screening using advanced detection tools such as iThenticate, Turnitin, or equivalent software.

Each submission is analyzed to identify textual overlaps, paraphrased content, and potential cases of duplication.

The editorial office carefully evaluates the similarity report to distinguish acceptable overlaps (e.g., references, standard terminology, and methodology descriptions) from unethical copying.

Manuscripts with excessive similarity are returned to authors for revision or rejected outright depending on the degree and nature of the overlap.

3. Acceptable Similarity Index

The journal follows the following guidelines for similarity index thresholds:

Acceptable similarity: Below 15–20%, excluding references, citations, and methodological phrases.

Any manuscript exceeding this range will be reviewed for possible plagiarism and may require revision or face rejection.

4. Consequences of Plagiarism

Plagiarism, at any stage of the publication process, will lead to serious disciplinary actions:

  • Before Acceptance: Immediate rejection of the manuscript.
  • After Acceptance but Before Publication: Withdrawal of the manuscript from production.
  • After Publication: Retraction of the article from the journal’s online and print archives, accompanied by a formal retraction notice.

Further sanctions may include:

  • Permanent blacklisting of authors from future submissions.
  • Notification to the authors’ affiliated institutions, research funders, or ethics committees.
  • Reporting the case to relevant academic databases or professional associations.

5. Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting manuscripts to Discover Economics and Finance are required to:

  • Submit only original research that has not been published elsewhere.
  • Provide accurate citations and acknowledgments for all sources of data, concepts, and quotations.
  • Refrain from submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously.
  • Clearly identify reused content (e.g., data sets or models) and cite previously published work.
  • Obtain permission for reproducing copyrighted material when applicable.

6. Editorial and Reviewer Responsibilities

Both editors and reviewers share responsibility in maintaining ethical standards.

Reviewers are encouraged to report any suspected plagiarism, duplication, or unethical content to the editorial office.

Editors are responsible for investigating allegations impartially and taking appropriate action in line with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.

7. Self-Plagiarism and Redundant Publication

Reusing one’s own previously published material without proper citation is also considered a form of plagiarism.

Authors must disclose any overlapping or related submissions at the time of submission.

Minor textual reuse (e.g., descriptions of methodology or background theory) must be properly cited.

Republishing data, analysis, or results previously presented in other journals without acknowledgment is strictly prohibited.

8. Appeals and Clarifications

Authors who disagree with a plagiarism decision may appeal in writing to the Editor-in-Chief. The Ethics and Integrity Committee will review all evidence, and their decision will be final. The journal is committed to handling such cases fairly, transparently, and confidentially.

By submitting a manuscript to Discover Economics and Finance: An International Journal, authors affirm that their work is original, properly cited, and free from any form of plagiarism.
This commitment helps preserve the credibility, fairness, and academic excellence that define our publication.