Plagiarism Screening

 
 

J2MR · Journal of Midwifery, Maternal and Reproductive Health Studies

Plagiarism Screening

Protecting the originality and scientific integrity of every manuscript published by J2MR through systematic similarity screening.

Policy Statement

The Journal of Midwifery, Maternal and Reproductive Health Studies (J2MR) categorically rejects any form of plagiarism in manuscripts submitted for publication. Plagiarism—whether verbatim copying, paraphrasing without attribution, self-plagiarism, or the unacknowledged use of another party's data, ideas, or findings—is considered a serious breach of research and publication ethics.

Every manuscript submitted to J2MR is systematically screened for textual similarity before it is sent for peer review, and re-screened prior to final publication, to safeguard the originality of the scientific literature in midwifery, maternal health, and reproductive health.

Forms of Plagiarism Considered

 
Verbatim Plagiarism
Copying text, sentences, or passages directly from another source without quotation marks and without proper citation.
 
Paraphrasing Plagiarism
Rewording another author's ideas or findings closely enough that the original source is effectively disguised, without proper attribution.
 
Self-Plagiarism
Reusing substantial portions of the author's own previously published work (text, data, or findings) without disclosure or proper citation, including redundant or duplicate publication.
 
Mosaic Plagiarism
Combining phrases and passages from multiple sources and interweaving them with the author's own words without proper attribution.
 
Data and Idea Plagiarism
Using another researcher's data, clinical findings, or original ideas without permission or acknowledgment, including misrepresentation of research results.

Screening Tool and Procedure

J2MR uses a recognized plagiarism-detection application (e.g., Turnitin / iThenticate or an equivalent similarity-checking tool designated by the editorial team) to compare every submitted manuscript against a broad database of published journals, academic repositories, and web sources.

1
Pre-Submission Screening
Immediately upon submission through the OJS platform, the manuscript is checked for textual similarity before being assigned to a Section Editor.
2
Editorial Evaluation of the Similarity Report
The handling editor reviews the similarity report, distinguishing legitimate matches (e.g., standard terminology, properly cited quotations, reference lists) from indications of genuine plagiarism.
3
Threshold-Based Decision
Manuscripts with an overall similarity index above the journal's acceptable threshold are returned to the authors for revision, or rejected without further review if the similarity is extensive or clearly indicates plagiarism.
4
Final Pre-Publication Re-Check
Prior to publication, the accepted and revised manuscript is re-screened to confirm that the final version remains within the journal's originality standards.

Similarity Index Threshold

  • The overall similarity index of a submitted manuscript should generally not exceed 20%.
  • Similarity attributable to a single source (excluding the reference list and standard methodological terminology) should not exceed 5%.
  • Manuscripts exceeding these thresholds will not proceed to peer review until the similarity issues have been adequately addressed by the authors.

Note: these thresholds serve as general editorial guidance and may be adjusted by the Editor-in-Chief and editorial board according to the nature of the manuscript (e.g., systematic reviews naturally contain more overlapping terminology).

Consequences of Detected Plagiarism

If plagiarism is identified at any stage of the editorial process—before or after publication—J2MR will take action proportionate to the severity of the case, consistent with the flowcharts and guidance issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE):

  • Minor overlap: the manuscript is returned to the authors with a request for revision and proper citation.
  • Substantial overlap: the manuscript is rejected outright and the authors are formally notified of the reason for rejection.
  • Plagiarism discovered after publication: the article is subject to correction, or retraction if the plagiarism is extensive, in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics Policy.
  • In serious or repeated cases, the corresponding author's institution may be formally notified, and the author(s) may be barred from future submissions to J2MR.

Safeguarding Originality in Every Publication

Journal of Midwifery, Maternal and Reproductive Health Studies