Plagiarism and AI Policy

Plagiarism Policy

(Acceptable Similarity Index: 10% or below)

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers to the use of another individual's ideas, words, data, or creative expressions without proper acknowledgment. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Copying text, figures, tables, or illustrations without appropriate citation
• Reusing one's own previously published work without disclosure (self-plagiarism)
• Using online or digital sources without proper attribution

Types of Plagiarism

• Direct Plagiarism: Verbatim copying of content without quotation marks or citation
• Self-Plagiarism: Republishing one's own work without referencing the original source
• Mosaic Plagiarism: Piecing together content from multiple sources without proper credit
• Accidental Plagiarism: Unintentional failure to cite sources or improper paraphrasing

Detection and Prevention

• Pre-Publication Screening: All submitted manuscripts are screened using Turnitin (Licensed) or equivalent plagiarism detection software. Manuscripts exceeding the acceptable similarity limit will be returned for correction or rejected.
• During Peer Review: Editors and reviewers may identify and report suspected plagiarism. Authors may be asked to revise or clarify citations as required.
• Post-Publication Actions: If plagiarism is detected after publication, the journal may take appropriate actions, including:
  • Retraction of the article
  • Publication of a correction or plagiarism notice
  • Notification to the author’s affiliated institution or funding agency

Reporting Plagiarism

Suspected cases of plagiarism may be reported to the editorial office at:
Email: editor@ijmds.in

Author Responsibilities

• Ensure originality and accurate citation of all sources
• Properly disclose and reference any reused or adapted content
• Avoid submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

(Maximum Acceptable AI-Generated Content: 15%)

Use of AI in Manuscript Preparation

Authors may use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly) only as supportive aids for language improvement, grammar correction, or structural suggestions, subject to the following conditions:

• Transparency: Use of AI tools must be clearly disclosed in the Acknowledgments or Methods section, including the tool name and purpose.
• Authorship and Accountability: AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors. Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all content.
• Originality and Verification: AI-generated content must not contain plagiarized material. Authors must thoroughly review, verify, and fact-check any AI-assisted text.
• Ethical Use of AI: AI tools should assist—not replace—scholarly judgment, critical thinking, data interpretation, or research analysis. The core intellectual contribution must remain the authors’ own work.