Plagiarism and Similarity Screening Policy

SAER Journal regards originality, appropriate attribution, and research integrity as fundamental principles of scholarly publishing. Manuscripts submitted to the journal may be evaluated using similarity-detection software and editorial assessment where considered necessary.

1. General Principle

Plagiarism involves the use of another person's ideas, words, data, methods, images, or other scholarly material without appropriate attribution. Whether intentional or unintentional, use of material without proper acknowledgement may constitute a publication ethics concern.

2. Similarity Screening

Submitted manuscripts may be screened with similarity-detection software at different stages of the editorial process.

A similarity report is used as an editorial support tool and does not, by itself, determine acceptance, rejection, or the existence of an ethical violation.

3. Evaluation of Similarity Levels

SAER Journal does not apply a single fixed similarity percentage as an automatic threshold for acceptance or rejection.

Similarity findings are assessed in context, with particular consideration of:

The source and nature of the matched text,
Whether appropriate attribution has been provided,
Whether direct quotations are properly identified,
Whether matches arise from methods, ethics statements, scale descriptions, or standardized language,
Whether reuse of the author's own previous work has been appropriately cited,
Whether the similarity affects the originality or scholarly contribution of the manuscript.

4. Direct Quotations

Text reproduced directly from another source must be clearly identified and cited in accordance with appropriate academic writing conventions.

Merely listing a source in the reference list does not justify extensive or verbatim reuse of its text.

5. Self-Plagiarism and Text Recycling

Where authors reuse substantial text, data, or analyses from their previously published work, appropriate citation and transparent disclosure are expected.

Extensive reuse of an author's own previously published text without appropriate attribution may be considered inappropriate text recycling or self-plagiarism, particularly where it creates a misleading impression of originality.

6. Duplicate Publication

Manuscripts that have already been published or are simultaneously under consideration by another journal should not be submitted to SAER Journal in the same or substantially similar form.

Relevant prior publications or papers derived from the same dataset should be disclosed transparently and cited appropriately.

7. Data, Tables, Figures, and Images

Plagiarism is not limited to text. Unauthorized or unattributed use of another person's data, tables, figures, images, scales, models, or other materials may also constitute an ethical violation.

Authors are responsible for obtaining any permissions required for copyrighted or restricted material.

8. Assessment of Identified Concerns

Where similarity screening or editorial review identifies a significant concern, the editor may request an explanation, revision, or supporting documentation from the authors.

Depending on the nature and seriousness of the issue, the manuscript may:

Be returned to the authors for revision or rewriting,
Be rejected before peer review,
Be rejected during the review process,
Be subject to further research-integrity assessment where necessary.

9. Post-Publication Findings

If serious plagiarism, duplicate publication, or inappropriate use of material is identified after publication, the journal may conduct an appropriate review.

Depending on the findings, a correction, retraction, disclosure notice, or other appropriate post-publication action may be issued.

10. Responsibility for Attribution

Authors are primarily responsible for the accuracy of references, appropriate attribution, and the originality of submitted material.

The absence of a match in similarity-detection software does not remove the author's responsibility to maintain scholarly integrity and proper citation practices.

11. Confidentiality

The journal seeks to protect the confidentiality and security of manuscripts submitted to similarity-detection systems and, where possible, uses reputable academic screening services.

12. Policy Updates

SAER Journal may review and update this policy in response to developments in research integrity, similarity-detection technology, and publication ethics.