Plagiarism Policy

1. Introduction

Trends in Biosciences Research is committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in academic publishing. Plagiarism, in any form, undermines the credibility of scientific research and the trust between authors, researchers, and readers. This Plagiarism Policy outlines the steps Trends in Biosciences Research takes to prevent, detect, and address plagiarism in manuscripts submitted to the journal.

2. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as the use of someone else’s ideas, words, data, or work without proper attribution and presenting them as one’s own. This includes:

Direct Plagiarism: Copying text, data, or images verbatim from another source without proper citation.
Self-Plagiarism: Reusing substantial portions of one’s own previously published work without proper citation, including text, data, or figures.
Mosaic Plagiarism: Borrowing phrases or sentences from a source and interweaving them into the manuscript without proper citation.
Paraphrasing without Citation: Rewriting someone else’s work in one’s own words without giving credit.
Data Fabrication or Falsification: The manipulation or invention of data to mislead or deceive.

3. Prevention of Plagiarism

Trends in Biosciences Research encourages authors to avoid plagiarism by adhering to the following guidelines:

Originality: Authors must ensure that their manuscript is original and does not contain plagiarized content. Any work derived from other sources must be properly cited.
Proper Citation: All sources of ideas, data, and previous works must be appropriately cited using the journal’s citation style. This includes direct quotes, paraphrases, and data used in the manuscript.
Use of Plagiarism Detection Tools: Authors are encouraged to check their manuscripts for plagiarism using plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin, iThenticate) before submission. This helps ensure that all content is properly attributed and reduces the risk of unintentional plagiarism.

4. Plagiarism Detection and Review Process

To maintain the integrity of the journal, all submitted manuscripts are screened for plagiarism using reputable plagiarism detection tools, such as iThenticate. If plagiarism is detected, the following actions may be taken:

Minor Plagiarism: If only small sections of text are found to be plagiarized, the author will be asked to revise the manuscript to address the issue. The revised manuscript will be resubmitted for further review.
Major Plagiarism: If large sections of the manuscript are plagiarized or the plagiarism is deemed significant, the manuscript will be rejected immediately, and the author will be informed of the reason for rejection.
Intentional or Repeated Plagiarism: Authors found to have intentionally plagiarized or who have committed plagiarism multiple times may be permanently banned from submitting to Trends in Biosciences Research. Serious cases will be reported to the author's institution.

5. Handling Plagiarism After Publication

If plagiarism is discovered after an article has been published, Trends in Biosciences Research will take the following actions:

Retraction: If plagiarism is determined to affect the integrity or validity of the article, the article will be retracted, and a retraction notice will be issued. The retracted article will remain in the public domain with a clearly marked retraction notice.
Correction: If the plagiarism is minor and does not affect the overall findings or conclusions of the article, a correction notice will be issued, and the article will be revised.
Transparency: The journal will ensure that any retraction or correction notices remain accessible along with the original article to maintain transparency with readers and ensure the accuracy of the scientific record.

6. Ethical Responsibility of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to Trends in Biosciences Research are responsible for ensuring that their manuscript does not contain plagiarized content. In particular:

Avoid Plagiarism: Authors should ensure that all sources of information, including ideas, data, and text from other works, are properly cited.
Self-Plagiarism: If an author is reusing portions of their own previous work, this must be disclosed and properly cited. Authors should avoid self-plagiarism unless it is properly acknowledged in the manuscript.
Data Integrity: Authors must present their data honestly and accurately. Falsifying or fabricating data is unacceptable and will lead to the immediate rejection of the manuscript.

7. Ethical Responsibility of Reviewers

Reviewers play a crucial role in detecting plagiarism and maintaining the integrity of the journal. Reviewers are expected to:

Evaluate for Plagiarism: Reviewers should assess whether the manuscript contains properly cited content and report any suspected plagiarism to the editorial team.
Report Suspected Plagiarism: If a reviewer identifies plagiarism or suspects that an author has used uncredited work, they should inform the editorial office immediately for further investigation.

8. Ethical Responsibility of Editors

Editors are responsible for ensuring that the peer review process is conducted fairly and ethically, and for addressing plagiarism issues. Editors must:

Screen Manuscripts for Plagiarism: Editors will use plagiarism detection tools to screen manuscripts before they are sent for review and after peer review if necessary.
Investigate Allegations of Plagiarism: Editors will investigate any allegations of plagiarism and take appropriate action based on the severity of the issue. This may include rejecting the manuscript or retracting a published article.
Ensure Transparency: Editors must act transparently when dealing with plagiarism issues, keeping all parties informed and ensuring that appropriate actions are taken.

9. Consequences of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious breach of academic integrity and will result in the following consequences:

Immediate Rejection: Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism will be rejected immediately, and authors will be informed of the reason for rejection.
Permanent Ban: Authors found to have engaged in repeated or severe plagiarism may be permanently banned from submitting to Trends in Biosciences Research.
Retraction: Articles found to have plagiarism after publication will be retracted, and a retraction notice will be published.
Institutional Notification: In cases of severe or repeated plagiarism, the author’s institution may be notified.

10. Appeals Process

If an author disagrees with a decision related to plagiarism, they may submit an appeal to the editorial board. The editorial board will review the case and provide a final decision.

11. Policy Review

This Plagiarism Policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure it remains in line with best practices in academic publishing. Any updates or significant changes to this policy will be communicated to authors, reviewers, and editors promptly.