Screening for Plagiarism

Tinombala: Journal of Social Sciences and Arts Education maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding plagiarism. We believe that protecting the original work of authors and the integrity of the academic record is our primary responsibility.

1. Plagiarism Detection Tools

All manuscripts submitted to Tinombala will undergo a rigorous screening process for originality before being sent to peer reviewers. Our editorial office utilizes professional plagiarism detection software, including:

  • Turnitin
  • iThenticate

2. Acceptable Similarity Threshold

  • Standard Limit: The maximum acceptable similarity index is 20%.
  • Individual Source Limit: Even if the total index is below 20%, the journal may return a manuscript if a significant portion of text (e.g., more than 3-5%) is copied directly from a single source without proper paraphrasing or citation.
  • Exclusions: The editorial team will exclude the bibliography/references and common terminologies or standardized research formulas from the similarity report during the final assessment.

3. Types of Plagiarism We Monitor

Our screening process looks for several forms of academic misconduct, including:

  • Direct Plagiarism: Word-for-word transcription of a section of someone else’s work without attribution.
  • Self-Plagiarism (Text-Recycling): Reusing significant portions of the author’s own previously published work without proper citation.
  • Mosaic/Patchwork Plagiarism: Borrowing phrases from various sources and weaving them into a new text without original thought.
  • AI-Generated Content: While we recognize the role of AI in research assistance, the uncritical use of AI-generated text without disclosure or original human analysis is considered a violation of our originality standards.

4. Actions Taken in Case of Plagiarism

  • Pre-Review Detection: If the similarity index is found to be above 20% during the initial screening, the manuscript will be returned to the author for revision or rejected immediately, depending on the severity.
  • Post-Publication Detection: If plagiarism is discovered after an article has been published, the journal will conduct an investigation following the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines. If proven, the article will be formally retracted, and a notice of retraction will be publicly displayed on the journal’s website.

5. Guidance for Authors

Authors are strongly encouraged to use their own plagiarism detection tools before submitting their work. Please ensure that all direct quotes are enclosed in quotation marks and that all ideas, data, and artistic inspirations from other authors are properly cited using APA 7th Edition style.