Plagiarism and Similarity Policy

Purpose

The XERON Journal of Medical Research (XJMR) is committed to protecting the originality, integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record.

All manuscripts submitted to XJMR may be screened for textual overlap, duplicate publication, inappropriate text recycling, unattributed use of ideas or data, and other forms of plagiarism.

This policy applies to:

  • research articles;

  • review articles;

  • systematic reviews and meta-analyses;

  • case reports and case series;

  • short communications;

  • editorials;

  • letters and correspondence;

  • figures, tables, images, and supplementary materials; and

  • manuscripts submitted by editors or Editorial Board members.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism occurs when an author presents another person’s words, ideas, data, methods, results, images, or other intellectual work without appropriate acknowledgment.

Plagiarism may involve published or unpublished material and may occur whether the source belongs to another author, a student, a collaborator, an organisation, or an online resource.

Examples include:

  • copying text without citation;

  • close paraphrasing without acknowledgment;

  • presenting another person’s idea as original;

  • using data or results without permission or attribution;

  • reproducing tables, figures, or images without acknowledgment;

  • translating published material and presenting it as original;

  • submitting another person’s manuscript under different authorship;

  • using unpublished material obtained during peer review; and

  • using artificial-intelligence tools to disguise copied material.

Similarity and Plagiarism Are Not the Same

A similarity report identifies text that matches material available in the software’s comparison database. It does not independently determine whether plagiarism has occurred.

A manuscript may show legitimate similarity because of:

  • reference lists;

  • correctly cited quotations;

  • standard scientific terminology;

  • recognised names of instruments and procedures;

  • commonly used statistical descriptions;

  • ethics and trial-registration statements; or

  • unavoidable technical language in the methodology.

Conversely, a manuscript may have a relatively low similarity score but still contain serious plagiarism of ideas, data, images, or selected passages.

XJMR therefore assesses the content and context of every similarity report rather than relying only on the overall numerical score.

Similarity Screening

Submitted manuscripts may be screened using plagiarism- or similarity-detection software during:

  • initial editorial screening;

  • peer review;

  • revision;

  • production; or

  • post-publication investigation.

The editorial office may repeat the screening when substantial revisions have been made.

Similarity reports are confidential editorial documents and are not automatically shared publicly.

Where necessary, the journal may provide relevant portions of the report to the authors and request:

  • an explanation;

  • correction of citations;

  • rewriting of overlapping passages;

  • submission of related publications;

  • permission documentation; or

  • clarification regarding duplicated data.

Similarity Thresholds

XJMR does not use one numerical percentage as an automatic definition of plagiarism.

As a general screening benchmark, manuscripts with substantial overall similarity or concentrated overlap from an individual source may require additional editorial assessment. However, the final decision depends on:

  • the source of the matched material;

  • the location of the overlap;

  • whether the source has been cited;

  • whether quotation or permission is required;

  • whether data or conclusions have been duplicated;

  • the amount of original material in the manuscript;

  • the authors’ explanation; and

  • whether the overlap affects the novelty or reliability of the work.

A manuscript below a stated similarity benchmark may still be rejected where serious plagiarism is identified. A manuscript above a benchmark will not necessarily be rejected when the overlap is legitimate, transparent, and appropriately cited.

Unacceptable Practices

XJMR does not accept:

  • direct copying without attribution;

  • mosaic plagiarism, in which copied phrases from multiple sources are combined;

  • paraphrasing another source without citation;

  • plagiarism of ideas, hypotheses, methods, or interpretations;

  • reuse of another author’s data without permission;

  • translated plagiarism;

  • duplicate publication;

  • undisclosed redundant publication;

  • inappropriate text recycling;

  • copied or manipulated images;

  • fabricated citations;

  • false quotation or attribution;

  • contract-written or purchased manuscripts submitted under false authorship; or

  • deliberate modification of wording intended to avoid similarity detection.

Text Recycling

Text recycling refers to reuse of an author’s own previously published wording without adequate transparency, citation, or acknowledgment.

COPE distinguishes text recycling from plagiarism involving another person’s work and recommends that editors assess it according to the amount, location, transparency, novelty, and presence of repeated data. Limited overlap in a methods section may sometimes be treated differently from substantial overlap in the results, discussion, or conclusion. (Publication Ethics)

Authors must cite and disclose earlier related work when reusing:

  • descriptions of methods;

  • theoretical explanations;

  • datasets;

  • tables or figures;

  • study protocols;

  • results; or

  • interpretations.

Substantial reuse of previously published results, discussion, or conclusions without disclosure is generally unacceptable.

Duplicate Submission

Authors must not submit the same or substantially similar manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously.

Duplicate submission wastes editorial and reviewer resources and may create competing publication claims.

By submitting to XJMR, the corresponding author confirms that the manuscript is not under consideration by another journal.

Where simultaneous submission is identified, XJMR may:

  • suspend editorial processing;

  • contact the authors;

  • reject the manuscript;

  • contact the other journal; or

  • notify the relevant institution in serious or repeated cases.

ICMJE recommends that the same manuscript should not be submitted simultaneously to multiple journals. (ICMJE)

Duplicate and Redundant Publication

Duplicate publication occurs when an article substantially overlaps with an earlier publication without clear disclosure and citation.

Redundant publication may include:

  • publishing the same findings in different journals;

  • publishing the same article in another language without permission;

  • repeating substantially the same data in multiple papers;

  • dividing one study into several unjustified publications;

  • presenting a secondary analysis as a separate original study without disclosure; or

  • publishing the same participants, outcomes, and conclusions more than once.

Duplicate publication can distort the scientific evidence by causing the same participants or findings to be counted more than once. (ICMJE)

Authors must disclose all related manuscripts, conference publications, preprints, reports, or articles derived from the same study or dataset.

Manuscripts Based on the Same Dataset

More than one manuscript may arise from the same dataset where each manuscript:

  • addresses a distinct research question;

  • provides substantially different analysis;

  • offers a meaningful new contribution;

  • cites related publications;

  • clearly identifies the shared dataset; and

  • does not misleadingly present previously published findings as new.

The authors should provide copies of related manuscripts or publications during submission.

ICMJE permits separate publications from the same dataset when they add substantial and transparent new analysis, with appropriate citation of related work. (ICMJE)

Conference Abstracts, Posters and Preliminary Reports

A complete manuscript based on work previously presented as a conference abstract, poster, presentation, or preliminary report may be considered where:

  • the full manuscript has not previously been published;

  • the earlier presentation is disclosed;

  • the complete article provides substantially greater detail;

  • the conference material is appropriately cited where necessary; and

  • relevant copyright requirements are met.

ICMJE does not ordinarily regard a preliminary abstract, poster, meeting presentation, or preprint as equivalent to a complete duplicate journal publication, provided the earlier dissemination is disclosed. (ICMJE)

Preprints

XJMR may consider manuscripts previously posted on a recognised preprint server, provided that:

  • the preprint is clearly identified as not peer reviewed;

  • the authors disclose the preprint during submission;

  • a link or persistent identifier is provided;

  • the submitted manuscript is not presented as entirely undisclosed work;

  • the preprint record is updated after journal publication; and

  • no copyright or licensing restriction prevents publication.

Authors should not upload confidential reviewer reports, editorial correspondence, or journal-produced proofs to a preprint platform.

Theses and Institutional Repositories

A manuscript derived from a thesis or dissertation may be considered where:

  • the thesis is clearly disclosed;

  • the manuscript is prepared as an independent journal article;

  • the thesis is cited or linked where appropriate;

  • authorship accurately reflects contribution to the article;

  • previously published thesis chapters are identified; and

  • copyright requirements are satisfied.

Posting a thesis in an institutional repository does not automatically prevent consideration, but authors must declare it during submission.

Tables, Figures and Images

Previously published tables, figures, photographs, diagrams, or illustrations must not be reused without:

  • appropriate citation;

  • permission where required;

  • confirmation that the applicable licence permits reuse; and

  • a caption identifying the original source.

Modifying colours, labels, orientation, or layout does not make a copied figure original.

Reusing the same image to represent different participants, samples, experiments, or results is prohibited.

Artificial Intelligence and Plagiarism

Artificial-intelligence tools must not be used to:

  • copy or disguise material from another source;

  • generate fabricated references;

  • invent quotations;

  • create false data;

  • produce misleading images;

  • paraphrase copyrighted work without attribution; or

  • conceal duplicate publication.

Authors remain responsible for checking the originality, accuracy, citations, and integrity of all AI-assisted content.

Substantive use of generative AI must be disclosed in accordance with the journal’s AI policy.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors must:

  • submit original work;

  • cite all relevant sources accurately;

  • use quotation marks where direct quotation is permitted;

  • disclose related manuscripts and publications;

  • obtain permission for copyrighted material;

  • disclose preprints, theses, abstracts, and conference presentations;

  • retain original data and source files;

  • respond honestly to editorial questions; and

  • correct identified overlap before publication.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors are informed about and comply with this policy.

Editorial Assessment

When potential plagiarism or inappropriate overlap is identified, the editor will assess:

  1. the nature and extent of the matching material;

  2. whether the original source is cited;

  3. whether the overlap concerns text, ideas, data, images, or results;

  4. whether the authors have disclosed related publications;

  5. whether copyright permission is required;

  6. whether the overlap affects the novelty or reliability of the manuscript; and

  7. the authors’ response and supporting documentation.

The journal will provide authors with a reasonable opportunity to explain the concern before reaching a final decision. COPE guidance emphasises fair procedures in which authors are informed of allegations and permitted to respond. (Publication Ethics)

Action Before Publication

Depending on the seriousness of the concern, XJMR may:

  • request corrections or improved citation;

  • require rewriting of overlapping text;

  • ask for permission documentation;

  • request copies of related publications;

  • return the manuscript for major revision;

  • suspend peer review;

  • reject the manuscript;

  • inform another journal;

  • contact the authors’ institution; or

  • restrict future submissions in cases of deliberate or repeated misconduct.

Minor citation mistakes may be handled through correction and education. Extensive, deliberate, or repeated plagiarism may require stronger action.

Action After Publication

If plagiarism or duplicate publication is identified after publication, XJMR may:

  • request an explanation from the authors;

  • examine the original sources and data;

  • publish a correction;

  • publish an editorial notice;

  • issue an expression of concern;

  • retract the article;

  • notify affected journals;

  • contact the authors’ institution or funder; or

  • take other action required to protect the scholarly record.

The action will depend on the seriousness of the overlap and whether the article’s findings remain reliable.

Appeals

Authors may appeal a plagiarism-related editorial decision by submitting a written request that:

  • identifies the manuscript;

  • explains the disputed similarity;

  • provides supporting evidence;

  • identifies any citation or software error; and

  • includes relevant source publications or permissions.

An appeal will normally be reviewed by an editor who was not solely responsible for the original decision, where practical.

An appeal does not guarantee reversal of the decision.

Confidentiality

Similarity reports, author responses, editorial correspondence, reviewer comments, and investigation records will be handled confidentially.

Information may be shared with another journal, institution, ethics committee, funder, or regulatory body where reasonably necessary to investigate a serious concern.

Author Declaration

By submitting a manuscript to XJMR, the authors confirm that:

  • the manuscript is original;

  • all sources have been acknowledged;

  • no substantial part has been copied improperly;

  • the work is not under consideration elsewhere;

  • related publications have been disclosed;

  • permissions have been obtained where required; and

  • the authors will cooperate with any originality or integrity enquiry.

Contact

Concerns regarding plagiarism, duplicate publication, or inappropriate similarity should be submitted to:

Editorial Office
XERON Journal of Medical Research
Published by XERON Medical Research

Email: journal@xeronclub.com
Country: Pakistan

The correspondence should include:

  • manuscript or article title;

  • submission number or DOI, where available;

  • description of the concern;

  • original source or supporting evidence; and

  • sender’s contact details.