Plagiarism Policy

????️ Plagiarism Policy

ACADEMIA Health Sphere Journal (AHSJ)
???? https://academia.edu.pk/index.php/hsj

???? Upholding Academic Integrity

Introduction
At ACADEMIA Health Sphere Journal (AHSJ), we are committed to preserving the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical research practices. Plagiarism—whether deliberate or inadvertent—compromises scholarly credibility and the reliability of published literature. AHSJ enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy against all forms of plagiarism to ensure the originality and credibility of every published article.

❓ What Constitutes Plagiarism?

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Direct Copying: Verbatim duplication from another source without proper citation

  • Paraphrasing Without Attribution: Rewriting someone else’s ideas without referencing the original work

  • Improper Use of Visuals/Data: Using charts, tables, graphs, or datasets without appropriate acknowledgment

  • Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one’s own previously published or submitted material without disclosure or citation

???? Plagiarism Thresholds

Standard Allowed Similarity Limit
AHSJ Internal Policy Maximum 10%
HEC Benchmark Up to 19%

???? While HEC (Pakistan) allows up to 19%, AHSJ maintains a stricter threshold of 10% to promote originality and research quality.

???? Plagiarism Detection Process

  • All submissions are screened through Turnitin or equivalent plagiarism detection software

  • Any manuscript exceeding the similarity limit is reviewed by the editorial team for context and severity

  • Authors are responsible for ensuring the manuscript is free from plagiarism prior to submission

⚖️ Editorial Action on Plagiarism

Type of Violation Editorial Response
Minor Overlap (e.g., missing citations) Returned for correction and proper attribution
Major Plagiarism (e.g., copy-paste, false authorship) Immediate rejection or retraction (if published)
Repeated Offenses Blacklisting of author(s), formal institutional notice

✍️ Author Declaration

All authors must submit a Statement of Originality, certifying that:

  • The manuscript is original, unpublished, and not under review elsewhere

  • All external sources are cited appropriately

  • The manuscript complies with ethical and authorship guidelines

???? Appeals Process

Authors who believe a plagiarism finding is incorrect may:

  • Submit a formal appeal with a detailed explanation

  • AHSJ’s Editorial Board will re-evaluate the decision and notify the author(s) of the final outcome

???? AI-Generated Content Policy

AHSJ does not permit AI-generated content in any part of a manuscript.

AI Usage Policy
AI-Generated Text ❌ Not allowed
AI-Generated Analysis ❌ Not allowed
AI-Assisted Drafting ❌ Not allowed
Human-Written Content ✅ Required

Submissions found to contain AI-generated content (e.g., from ChatGPT, Bard, Gemini, etc.) will be rejected or retracted, and the author may face sanctions.

???? Transparency & Retractions

In cases where plagiarism leads to a retraction, AHSJ will:

  • Publish a formal retraction notice

  • Notify all relevant databases and indexing platforms

  • Uphold transparency and academic accountability

This policy is aligned with the ethical frameworks of HEC, COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), and ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) to safeguard the scholarly record and promote responsible research practices.