Plagiarism policy

Educational Research & Implementation (EduRE) is committed to research integrity and does not tolerate plagiarism or related forms of publication misconduct. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, copying text without proper acknowledgment, close paraphrasing without attribution, presenting another person’s ideas, data, images, or interpretations as one’s own, and reusing previously published material without appropriate disclosure or permission where required.

EduRE evaluates plagiarism and text overlap in accordance with recognized best practices and the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Editorial decisions are based on the nature, extent, context, and seriousness of the overlap or misconduct, not on a mechanical percentage threshold alone.

1) Similarity Screening

All submissions may undergo similarity screening using iThenticate or an equivalent research integrity tool before peer review, during editorial evaluation, or where concerns arise at a later stage.

Similarity reports are assessed in context. Legitimate overlap may occur in references, quotations, standard methodological phrasing, ethics statements, or properly disclosed and cited reuse. A similarity report does not in itself constitute evidence of misconduct; editorial assessment considers both the pattern and the substance of overlapping material.

2) What EduRE Considers Unacceptable

EduRE may reject, investigate, or take corrective action where a submission or published article involves:

  • plagiarism or substantial unattributed overlap;
  • close paraphrasing or patchwriting without proper attribution;
  • self-plagiarism or undisclosed text recycling;
  • redundant publication or duplicate submission without transparent disclosure;
  • unauthorized reuse of figures, tables, images, instruments, or data;
  • misleading attribution of authorship or contribution;
  • undisclosed use of AI or LLM tools to generate substantive scholarly content where disclosure is required by journal policy;
  • citation manipulation, citation padding, or citation cartel behavior;
  • any other practice that misrepresents the originality or provenance of the submitted work.

3) Editorial Assessment and Actions

Depending on the severity, extent, and apparent intent of the issue, EduRE may take one or more of the following actions:

  • request clarification from the author(s);
  • request revision, rewriting, improved citation, or proper acknowledgment;
  • return the manuscript before peer review for correction;
  • reject the manuscript;
  • suspend editorial processing while concerns are investigated;
  • contact authors’ institutions or other appropriate bodies where necessary and justified;
  • issue post-publication notices such as a Correction, Expression of Concern, or Retraction in accordance with journal policy.

4) Author Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for ensuring that:

  • all sources are properly cited and acknowledged;
  • all reused material, including the authors’ own prior publications, is transparently disclosed and appropriately cited;
  • permissions are obtained for third-party copyrighted materials where legally required;
  • related outputs such as preprints, conference papers, repository versions, dissertations, or overlapping manuscripts are disclosed at submission where relevant;
  • the submitted manuscript accurately represents the originality of the work.

5) Post-Publication Cases

If plagiarism or serious overlap is identified after publication, EduRE will assess the matter in accordance with its editorial and ethics policies. Depending on the outcome, the journal may issue a Correction, Expression of Concern, or Retraction, and may take additional action where necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

6) Guidance and Related Policies

This policy should be read together with the journal’s Ethics Policy and Article Policy. EduRE follows recognized best practices and COPE guidance when handling plagiarism, text overlap, and related publication ethics concerns.

7) Contact for Concerns

Questions or concerns regarding plagiarism, overlap, or related publication misconduct may be reported through the journal’s official contact channels listed on the website.

Last updated: 2026-02-23