PLAGIARISME

Plagiarism Policy

JOCER: Journal of Civic Education Research is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and publication ethics. The journal does not tolerate plagiarism, self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, redundant publication, fabrication, falsification, or other forms of academic misconduct.

This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to JOCER and to articles that have already been published.

  1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers to the use of another person's ideas, words, arguments, data, methods, images, tables, or other intellectual work without appropriate acknowledgment or citation, thereby presenting such material as the author's own work.

Plagiarism may include, but is not limited to:

  • copying text from another source without appropriate citation;
  • presenting another person's ideas, arguments, or findings as one's own;
  • translating or substantially reproducing another work without proper acknowledgment;
  • using tables, figures, images, datasets, or other materials without appropriate attribution or permission where required;
  • substantial patchwriting or close paraphrasing without adequate attribution;
  • reusing substantial portions of one's own previously published work without appropriate disclosure and citation (self-plagiarism);
  • submitting substantially identical manuscripts to more than one journal;
  • publishing substantially the same research in more than one publication without appropriate disclosure; and
  • manipulating or concealing sources in order to avoid proper attribution.
  1. Similarity Screening

All submitted manuscripts may undergo similarity screening before being sent for peer review.

The editorial team may use an appropriate similarity-detection software to identify potential textual overlap between the submitted manuscript and previously published or publicly available materials.

Similarity screening is an editorial screening tool and not, by itself, proof of plagiarism. The editorial team evaluates the context, source, extent, and nature of the detected similarities before making an editorial decision.

Particular attention is given to substantial unattributed similarities, copied passages, inappropriate paraphrasing, and similarities that may indicate duplicate or redundant publication.

  1. Similarity Threshold

JOCER applies a maximum similarity threshold of 25% as an initial editorial screening criterion.

However, a similarity score alone does not determine whether plagiarism has occurred.

A manuscript with a similarity score below 25% may still be considered problematic if the similarity includes substantial unattributed passages or evidence of plagiarism. Conversely, a manuscript with a higher similarity score may not necessarily constitute plagiarism if the similarity results from properly cited quotations, references, commonly used terminology, methodological expressions, institutional names, legal provisions, or other legitimate sources.

The final assessment is therefore based on editorial examination of the similarity report and the context of the identified similarities.

  1. Editorial Screening Categories

For internal editorial purposes, JOCER may use the following screening categories:

Similarity Score

Initial Editorial Action

≤ 15%

May proceed to the next editorial stage following routine editorial assessment

>15–25%

Subject to editorial examination and may proceed or be returned for correction

>25–40%

Normally returned to the author for revision and clarification

>40%

May be rejected at the editorial screening stage if the similarity is substantial

Any percentage involving serious plagiarism

May be rejected regardless of the similarity score

These percentages serve as internal editorial screening criteria and should not be interpreted as an automatic determination of plagiarism.

  1. Self-Plagiarism

JOCER considers the substantial reuse of an author's previously published material without appropriate disclosure, citation, or justification to be a form of academic misconduct.

Authors must appropriately acknowledge and cite their previous publications when material from such publications is reused.

This policy also applies to substantial reuse of material from:

  • theses or dissertations;
  • conference proceedings;
  • research reports;
  • institutional publications; and
  • previously published journal articles.

Reuse of previously published material must comply with applicable copyright and publication policies.

  1. Duplicate and Redundant Publication

Authors must not submit the same manuscript simultaneously to JOCER and another journal.

JOCER does not accept manuscripts that have already been published substantially in another journal or publication unless there is a legitimate academic reason and full disclosure has been made to the Editor-in-Chief.

Duplicate or redundant publication may result in:

  • rejection of the manuscript;
  • termination of the editorial process;
  • notification to relevant parties where appropriate; and
  • retraction of the published article if the violation is discovered after publication.
  1. Plagiarism Detected Before Publication

If plagiarism or substantial unattributed similarity is identified before publication, the Editor-in-Chief or designated editor may take one or more of the following actions:

Minor Similarity

The manuscript may be returned to the author for correction of citations, quotations, paraphrasing, or attribution.

Substantial Similarity

The manuscript may be returned for major revision and clarification, or rejected depending on the severity and context.

Clear or Serious Plagiarism

The manuscript may be rejected immediately without proceeding to peer review.

The editorial decision will be based on the evidence and circumstances of the case rather than solely on the similarity percentage.

  1. Plagiarism Detected After Publication

If an allegation of plagiarism is raised after publication, JOCER will conduct an appropriate editorial investigation.

Where necessary, the journal may request clarification from the authors and examine the original sources and available evidence.

Depending on the seriousness of the violation, JOCER may issue:

  • a Correction;
  • an Expression of Concern; or
  • a Retraction.

A published article may be retracted when substantial plagiarism, duplicate publication, unreliable data, or other serious violations of publication ethics are established.

Any post-publication action will be taken to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

  1. Authors' Responsibilities

Authors are fully responsible for ensuring the originality and academic integrity of their manuscripts.

By submitting a manuscript to JOCER, authors confirm that:

  • the manuscript is original;
  • all sources have been appropriately acknowledged and cited;
  • the manuscript has not been simultaneously submitted to another journal;
  • the manuscript has not been previously published in substantially the same form;
  • all data and information have been reported honestly;
  • any reuse of previously published material has been appropriately disclosed; and
  • all authors have approved the submitted version.
  1. Editors' Responsibilities

The editorial team is responsible for handling suspected plagiarism objectively, confidentially, and fairly.

Editors shall:

  • conduct appropriate preliminary screening;
  • assess similarity reports in context;
  • maintain confidentiality throughout the investigation;
  • provide authors with an opportunity to respond when appropriate;
  • avoid making decisions solely on the basis of similarity percentages; and
  • take appropriate action when evidence of misconduct is established.
  1. Reviewers and Plagiarism Detection

Reviewers are encouraged to notify the editor if they identify substantial similarities between the submitted manuscript and previously published work.

Reviewers should not directly accuse authors of misconduct or contact the authors regarding plagiarism allegations.

Any concerns should be reported confidentially to the editor through the journal's review system.

  1. Artificial Intelligence and Plagiarism

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) or AI-assisted tools does not relieve authors of responsibility for the originality, accuracy, and integrity of their manuscripts.

Authors remain responsible for ensuring that AI-assisted content does not result in:

  • plagiarism;
  • fabricated information;
  • fabricated or unverifiable references;
  • inappropriate appropriation of another person's intellectual work; or
  • misleading attribution.

AI tools cannot be listed as authors.

Authors should disclose substantial use of AI-assisted tools in accordance with the journal's Author Guidelines and relevant publication-ethics requirements.

  1. Allegations of Plagiarism

Allegations of plagiarism may be submitted to the JOCER Editorial Office.

A complaint should, where possible, include:

  • the title of the article or manuscript;
  • the author's name;
  • the suspected original source;
  • evidence of the alleged similarity; and
  • an explanation of the suspected violation.

All allegations will be treated seriously and handled confidentially.

The editorial team may request additional evidence or clarification from the parties concerned before reaching a decision.

  1. Editorial Investigation

When a credible allegation is received, the Editor-in-Chief or designated editor may conduct an investigation that includes:

  1. examining the similarity or plagiarism evidence;
  2. identifying the original source;
  3. evaluating the extent and nature of the overlap;
  4. requesting clarification from the author where appropriate;
  5. consulting an additional academic expert when necessary; and
  6. determining the appropriate editorial action.

The investigation will be conducted objectively and without prejudice.

  1. Post-Publication Integrity

JOCER recognizes that maintaining publication integrity is an ongoing responsibility.

If significant plagiarism or other forms of publication misconduct are confirmed after publication, the journal may take corrective action to ensure that the academic record remains accurate and trustworthy.

Such actions may include correction, expression of concern, or retraction, depending on the circumstances.

  1. Ethical Standards

JOCER's plagiarism policy is implemented in accordance with recognized principles of publication ethics and responsible scholarly publishing, including relevant best practices promoted by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The journal also seeks to maintain its editorial and publication practices in accordance with applicable national standards and regulations governing scholarly journal management and accreditation in Indonesia.

  1. Final Editorial Authority

The Editor-in-Chief has final responsibility for decisions concerning suspected plagiarism and other forms of publication misconduct.

The editorial decision will be based on the available evidence, the seriousness of the violation, applicable ethical principles, and the need to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

JOCER is committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, consistent, and responsible plagiarism-screening and publication-ethics process for all submitted and published manuscripts.