Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Screening

Plagiarism is not acceptable in JPT. Plagiarism includes the use of another person’s words, ideas, methods, data, images, tables, or other intellectual work without appropriate acknowledgment or attribution, presenting them as original.

JPT screens submitted manuscripts using Turnitin similarity-checking software. As a general screening benchmark, JPT normally expects an overall Similarity Index of no more than 25%. A manuscript with a Similarity Index above 25% may be returned to the authors for clarification or revision or may not proceed to peer review, depending on the nature, source, location, concentration, and extent of the matched material. The Similarity Index is not, by itself, evidence of plagiarism and is not used as the sole basis for manuscript rejection. Editors review the complete similarity report and examine the matched passages individually and collectively.

The editorial assessment considers:

• the source, location, extent, concentration, and context of the overlap;

• whether quotation, citation, and attribution are appropriate;

• whether matches arise from standard terminology, commonly used methods, references, affiliations, theses, preprints, or other legitimately reused material;

• whether ideas, methods, data, images, tables, or conclusions have been copied; and

• whether the overlap misrepresents the originality of the work.

A manuscript with a Similarity Index at or below 25% may still require clarification, revision, or other editorial action when significant unattributed overlap is identified.

Authors may be required to explain, document, cite, rewrite, or remove matched material before editorial processing continues.

Prohibited Practices

JPT prohibits:

• Direct plagiarism: copying words or passages without appropriate quotation and attribution.

• Mosaic plagiarism: combining copied wording or ideas from one or more sources with insufficient acknowledgment.

• Translated plagiarism: translating material from another language and presenting it as original.

• Unattributed paraphrasing: presenting another person’s ideas or arguments in different wording without appropriate attribution.

• Misappropriation of intellectual work: using another person’s ideas, methods, data, results, or conclusions without appropriate acknowledgment.

• Unauthorized material reuse: reproducing or modifying figures, photographs, images, tables, maps, datasets, or other materials without appropriate attribution or permission.

• Duplicate or redundant publication: publishing substantially the same data, findings, or article more than once without transparent disclosure, appropriate citation, and prior editorial approval.

• Simultaneous submission: submitting substantially the same manuscript to more than one journal at the same time.

Text Recycling and Prior Dissemination

Text recycling refers to the reuse of an author’s own previously disseminated or published wording without sufficient transparency or appropriate citation.

Limited reuse may be acceptable when scientifically justified, transparently disclosed, appropriately cited, and compliant with copyright requirements. Editors evaluate text recycling according to:

• the amount of reused material;

• the section in which it appears;

• whether the original source is acknowledged;

• whether previously published ideas or data are presented as new;

• the originality of the results and conclusions; and

• whether the reuse complies with copyright and licensing requirements.

Reuse of standard descriptions in the Methods section may be treated differently from reuse in the Results, Discussion, or Conclusions. Reuse of previously published data or findings without clear justification and disclosure may constitute duplicate or redundant publication.

A conference abstract, academic thesis, institutional report, or preprint is not automatically considered prior publication. However, authors must disclose and appropriately cite or link to the earlier version during submission.

Secondary or translated publication may be considered only when it has a valid scientific justification, prior approval from the relevant editors and copyright holders, and clear identification of the original publication.

Citation Practices

Citations must be accurate, relevant, based on sources that the authors have read, and sufficient to support the statements made. JPT prohibits:

• fabricated or unverifiable references;

• excessive self-citation without scholarly justification;

• coordinated citation exchanges;

• coercive citation requests;

• citations included primarily to increase the metrics of an author, editor, reviewer, institution, or journal; and

• citation of retracted work without clearly identifying its retracted status.

Editors and reviewers may recommend additional references only when those references are genuinely relevant to the manuscript.

Editorial Response

When significant unattributed overlap or possible plagiarism is identified, JPT may:

• request an explanation or supporting documentation;

• require appropriate citation or manuscript revision;

• pause the editorial process;

• decline to send the manuscript for peer review;

• reject the manuscript; or

• take other proportionate editorial action.

Suspected misconduct will be handled in accordance with JPT’s Allegations of Misconduct Policy and relevant COPE guidance.

When plagiarism, duplicate publication, or inappropriate text recycling is identified after publication, JPT may publish a correction, Expression of Concern, or retraction in accordance with its Corrections and Retractions Policy

Editorial decisions will be based on the available evidence, the nature and seriousness of the overlap, the authors’ explanations, and the effect of the overlap on the originality and reliability of the work.