Plagiarism Policy

PLAGIARISM POLICY

1. PURPOSE

This policy aims to uphold academic and professional integrity, prevent all forms of plagiarism in works produced by members of the institution, and impose strict sanctions against plagiarists.

2. DEFINITION OF PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is the act of taking another person's ideas, words, data, or work and presenting them as one's own without proper credit or attribution. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the following forms:

  • Verbatim plagiarism: Copying sentences directly from a source without using quotation marks and providing a citation.

  • Source plagiarism: Citing a wrong, inaccurate, or non-existent source.

  • Paraphrasing plagiarism: Rewording or rearranging sentence structure from an original source but retaining the core idea without proper citation.

  • Self-plagiarism: Submitting the same work, or substantial parts of it, for different assignments, publications, or purposes without prior permission from the relevant parties.

  • Translation plagiarism: Translating text from a foreign language into the working language without citing the original source.

  • Patchwork plagiarism: Combining snippets from multiple sources without proper attribution, creating a "mosaic" of others' work.

  • Idea plagiarism: Presenting someone else's unique concept, theory, or research approach as one's own original thought.

3. SCOPE

This policy applies to all members of the institution, including faculty members, researchers, administrative staff, students at all levels (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctoral), external contributors (such as guest writers and research partners), and all types of work including publications, final projects, theses, dissertations, academic papers, journal articles, conference proceedings, and promotional materials.

4. GENERAL PROVISIONS

All submitted work must comply with applicable citation standards such as APA, MLA, IEEE, or the institutional style guide. The maximum allowable similarity index for final manuscripts is 20 percent, with no more than 5 percent originating from any single source, unless otherwise specified by a particular academic unit. All works must be screened using plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin, iThenticate, or an equivalent tool prior to approval or publication.

5. VERIFICATION PROCEDURE

The verification procedure is as follows:

  • The author or researcher submits the complete manuscript to the relevant unit, which may be the academic office, journal editorial board, or program supervisor.

  • The manuscript is checked using licensed plagiarism detection software.

  • A similarity report is generated and shared with the author and, where applicable, the supervisor or editor.

  • If the similarity index falls within acceptable limits and no direct plagiarism is found, the manuscript proceeds to the next stage of review or publication.

  • If indicators of plagiarism are detected, the case is referred to an investigative body or ethics committee for further review and determination of sanctions.

6. SANCTIONS

Sanctions are applied progressively based on the severity and frequency of the violation, as described below.

Mild violation: This includes less than 20 percent similarity but with evidence of poor paraphrasing without adequate citation, or missing citations for minor ideas. The sanction for a mild violation is mandatory revision of the work accompanied by required attendance at a citation training workshop.

Moderate violation: This includes copying one to two full paragraphs without attribution, or a similarity index between 20 and 40 percent with clear evidence of intentional lack of citation. The sanction for a moderate violation is voiding of the assignment grade or manuscript rejection, along with a formal written warning placed in the individual's record.

Severe violation: This includes copying more than 40 percent of a work, submitting an entire work written by another person, or fabricating sources. The sanction for a severe violation is disqualification of the work, suspension for one academic semester for students, or immediate termination of employment for staff members.

Very severe violation: This includes repeated plagiarism after prior sanctions, using a ghostwriter or paid writing service, or systematically plagiarizing across multiple works. The sanction for a very severe violation is revocation of degree or diploma, permanent termination of employment, and inclusion in a scientific blacklist that may be shared with other institutions.

7. RIGHT TO APPEAL

The accused individual has the right to submit a written appeal within 14 working days after receiving official notification of the sanction. The appeal must clearly state the grounds for contesting the decision. An independent ethics committee, composed of members not involved in the original investigation, will review the appeal and issue a final decision within 30 working days.

8. RESPONSIBILITIES

All parties share responsibility in upholding this policy, as outlined below.

Authors and students are responsible for ensuring the originality of their own work, properly citing all sources, and retaining copies of source materials for reference when requested.

Supervisors and editors must actively check all works under their guidance or review, confirm that the work is plagiarism-free before approval, and educate their supervisees on proper citation practices.

The institution is responsible for providing access to plagiarism detection software, offering regular training sessions on academic writing and citation, and applying sanctions consistently and fairly without regard to position or seniority.

9. CLOSING

This policy is binding and applies to all ongoing and future works produced within or under the name of the institution. Any violation will be acted upon without exception. The institution reserves the right to revise this policy as needed, with any changes communicated through official channels.

Approved by: