Plagiarism Policy

Policy Statement

The Journal of Islamic Guidance and Counseling (JIGC) is firmly committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity. All submitted manuscripts must be the original work of the author(s) and free from any form of plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or duplication. Plagiarism in any form constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves presenting another person’s ideas, data, or words as one’s own, without proper acknowledgment. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Copying text, data, or figures from other sources without citation.
  • Paraphrasing substantial portions of another’s work without credit.
  • Reproducing previously published work (self-plagiarism) without proper citation or permission.
  • Submitting a manuscript that has been published elsewhere, in whole or in part.
  • Using ideas or data obtained during the peer review process without authorization.

Similarity Check Procedure

  • All manuscripts submitted to JIGC are screened for plagiarism using Turnitin or other equivalent plagiarism detection software.
  • The acceptable similarity index is below 20%, excluding references, quotations, and commonly used terminology.
  • Manuscripts with a similarity score above 20% will be returned to the author for revision or rejected outright, depending on the severity of the overlap.

Handling Plagiarism Cases

Before Publication

If plagiarism is detected during the review or editing process:

  • The author(s) will be notified and asked to provide clarification or correction.
  • The manuscript may be rejected if the plagiarism is deemed substantial or intentional.

After Publication

If plagiarism is discovered after publication:

  • The journal will conduct an internal investigation.
  • The article may be retracted, and a retraction notice will be published on the journal website.
  • The author(s)’ institution may be informed of the misconduct.
  • The author(s) may be blacklisted from future submission to JIGC.

Author Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for ensuring:

  • All cited materials are properly acknowledged.
  • Permissions are obtained for any copyrighted materials used.
  • Submitted work has not been previously published or submitted elsewhere.

By submitting to JIGC, authors affirm that their manuscript adheres to this policy.

Editor and Reviewer Responsibilities

Editors and reviewers are expected to:

  • Identify and report any suspected plagiarism.
  • Maintain confidentiality and handle allegations objectively.
  • Avoid using unpublished content from manuscripts under review for personal advantage.

Reference to Ethical Standards

This policy aligns with the ethical standards and best practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and Marriott International Academic Publishing Ethics Guidelines (if applicable for institutional alignment).

Sanctions

Depending on the severity and nature of the plagiarism, JIGC may impose the following actions:

  • Written warning to the author(s).
  • Immediate rejection or retraction of the manuscript.
  • Notification to the author’s affiliated institution.
  • Prohibition from future submissions for a defined period (typically 2–3 years).

Policy Updates

The JIGC Editorial Board reserves the right to update this policy periodically to ensure compliance with evolving academic integrity standards and technological tools for plagiarism detection.