The Journal of Agrosciences & Agribusiness (JAA) maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism, research misconduct, and unethical publishing practices. The journal is committed to preserving the integrity of the scientific record through rigorous editorial oversight, transparent publication practices, and adherence to internationally recognized ethical standards. All submitted manuscripts are screened for originality prior to peer review using validated plagiarism detection software, in accordance with the ethical principles and best practice guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA).
Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
- Verbatim copying of text, data, figures, tables, images, or ideas from published or unpublished sources without appropriate acknowledgment or permission.
- Mosaic plagiarism (patchwriting), including paraphrasing or restructuring another author's work without proper citation.
- Self-plagiarism, including duplicate publication, redundant publication, or the substantial reuse of previously published material without appropriate disclosure or citation.
- Unauthorized reproduction or adaptation of copyrighted figures, tables, photographs, graphical abstracts, or supplementary materials without the necessary permissions.
- Misappropriation of unpublished data, confidential information, peer-review comments, grant applications, or proprietary research findings.
Similarity Screening
All manuscripts submitted to JAA undergo plagiarism screening before editorial assessment. Similarity reports are evaluated by the Editorial Office using professional plagiarism detection software, with similarity scores interpreted in context rather than as absolute thresholds.
Acceptable similarity may include:
- Properly cited quotations and references.
- Standard methodological descriptions where limited textual similarity is unavoidable.
- Legitimate reuse of author-approved preprints or publicly disclosed preliminary versions, provided appropriate disclosure has been made during submission.
- References, institutional names, and commonly accepted scientific terminology.
A high similarity index does not automatically constitute plagiarism; however, unexplained, excessive, or inappropriate textual overlap may result in further editorial investigation.
Editorial Actions in Cases of Suspected Plagiarism
If plagiarism or unethical textual overlap is suspected or confirmed at any stage of the publication process, JAA reserves the right to take one or more of the following actions:
- Request clarification, revision, or additional documentation from the authors.
- Reject the manuscript before peer review.
- Reject the manuscript following peer review if misconduct is confirmed.
- Suspend editorial processing while a formal investigation is conducted.
- Retract a published article where plagiarism or academic misconduct is identified after publication.
- Notify the corresponding author's institution, employer, funding agency, ethics committee, or other relevant authorities in cases of serious or repeated misconduct.
Author Responsibilities
By submitting a manuscript to JAA, authors confirm that:
- The submitted work is original and has not been published previously, except where appropriately disclosed.
- All sources, data, and intellectual contributions have been properly acknowledged and cited.
- Any reused text, figures, tables, datasets, or previously published material have been appropriately disclosed and, where required, permission has been obtained.
- The manuscript is not under simultaneous consideration by another journal.
- Any overlap with previous publications, conference proceedings, preprints, or related manuscripts has been fully disclosed at the time of submission.
Post-Publication Misconduct
If plagiarism or other forms of publication misconduct are identified after publication, JAA will conduct a thorough investigation in accordance with COPE's recommendations and internationally accepted best practices. Depending on the findings, the journal may issue:
- Corrections or Errata.
- Expressions of Concern.
- Partial or full article retractions.
- Editorial notices linked permanently to the published article.
- Notification of relevant institutions or regulatory bodies where appropriate.
Commitment to Research Integrity
The Journal of Agrosciences & Agribusiness (JAA) is dedicated to safeguarding the integrity, transparency, and credibility of scholarly publishing. The journal reserves the right to take all appropriate editorial and ethical actions necessary to protect the scientific record and uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, responsible research conduct, and ethical scholarly communication.