Upholding Scientific Integrity
ACADEMIA Biota Nexus Journal (ABNJ) is firmly committed to academic honesty, ethical scholarship, and the protection of original scientific contributions. Plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, undermines research integrity and erodes trust within the scientific community. Therefore, ABNJ enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy against all forms of plagiarism.
What Constitutes Plagiarism
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, direct plagiarism, which involves copying text, figures, tables, or other content from previously published work without proper citation or quotation; improper paraphrasing, where another author’s ideas, methods, or findings are rewritten without appropriate acknowledgment; self-plagiarism, which refers to republishing one’s own previously published work in whole or in part without proper disclosure or citation; and unauthorized data use, including the use of datasets, images, figures, or graphical material without permission or proper reference.
Similarity Thresholds
ABNJ applies a maximum similarity threshold of 10 percent. Although the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan allows similarity levels of up to 15 percent, ABNJ enforces a stricter limit to promote originality and uphold high ethical standards in scientific publishing.
Plagiarism Detection and Author Responsibility
All manuscripts submitted to ABNJ are screened using recognized plagiarism-detection software such as Turnitin or equivalent tools. Authors bear full responsibility for the originality and authenticity of their submissions. Manuscripts exceeding the allowable similarity threshold are flagged and subjected to detailed editorial evaluation.
Handling of Plagiarism Cases
Minor overlap, such as missing or improper citations, may result in the manuscript being returned to the authors for correction and resubmission. Major plagiarism, including extensive or deliberate copying, will lead to immediate rejection or post-publication retraction. Repeated offenses or severe misconduct may result in blacklisting of the author or authors and notification of their affiliated institutions.
Author Declaration of Originality
All authors are required to submit a signed Statement of Originality confirming that the manuscript is original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere; that all sources and references are properly cited; and that the work is free from plagiarism, including self-plagiarism.
Policy on AI-Generated Content
ABNJ does not permit the use of generative artificial intelligence tools, including but not limited to ChatGPT, Bard, or Gemini, for creating, analyzing, interpreting, or drafting scientific content. Submissions containing AI-generated text, data interpretation, or analysis will be rejected or retracted. All submitted work must reflect authentic human scholarship, scientific reasoning, and research expertise.
Appeals Process
Authors who believe a plagiarism-related decision was made in error may submit a formal written appeal to the ABNJ Editorial Office. The manuscript will be re-evaluated by the Editorial Board or an independent review panel. Decisions resulting from the appeals process are final and binding.
Retraction and Transparency
In cases where plagiarism results in retraction, ABNJ will publish a formal retraction notice clearly stating the reason. The original article will remain accessible but will be clearly marked as retracted for transparency. Relevant indexing and abstracting services will be notified to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.
Ethical Alignment
This policy is aligned with the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). By enforcing this policy, ACADEMIA Biota Nexus Journal (ABNJ) ensures the integrity, authenticity, and ethical soundness of every article it publishes in the fields of biological and environmental sciences.
