PLAGIARISM POLICY

1. INTRODUCTION
Indonesian Journal of Character Education Studies (IJCES) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and quality in all published content. All manuscripts submitted to the IJCES will be screened for plagiarism using tools such as Turnitin and iThenticate to ensure compliance with international standards of academic integrity. Plagiarism, which involves the use of someone else’s work, ideas, or expressions without proper acknowledgment, undermines the credibility of research and the trust placed in academic publishing. To preserve the integrity of the journal and promote original scholarship, IJCES has established a comprehensive plagiarism policy that applies to all submissions, ensuring that all works published in the journal adhere to ethical standards of academic writing.

IJCES adheres to the guidelines and best practices outlined in the following policies:

2. POLICY

  • Commitment to Academic Integrity: IJCES is committed to ensuring that all manuscripts submitted to the journal are original works. The editorial team strictly enforces a no-tolerance policy on plagiarism, and any manuscript found to contain plagiarized content will be rejected.
  • Prevention of Plagiarism: Authors are required to submit manuscripts that are their original work. Authors must ensure that they properly cite and reference any sources, ideas, or content that are not their own. IJCES encourages authors to be transparent about their sources and to use appropriate referencing styles for citing all external works.
  • Plagiarism Detection: All submitted manuscripts undergo plagiarism screening using trusted plagiarism detection software. IJCES utilizes tools such as Turnitin, iThenticate, or other similar services to identify potential instances of plagiarism. If plagiarism is detected, the manuscript will be returned to the author for revision or, in severe cases, rejected outright.
  • Consequences of Plagiarism: Manuscripts found to contain significant instances of plagiarism will be rejected. In cases of serious or repeated offenses, the author may be banned from submitting future work to IJCES. If plagiarism is detected after publication, the article will be retracted, and the author will be publicly notified. Furthermore, if necessary, the author’s institution or funding agency may be informed.
  • Ethical Responsibility of Authors: Authors are expected to maintain the highest ethical standards in their writing and research practices. They are responsible for ensuring that their work does not infringe on the intellectual property rights of others.

Level of Plagiarism

Based on the Severity of Plagiarism:

  • Minor Plagiarism: Minor plagiarism occurs when a short section of another article is copied without proper citation, but does not involve the use of significant data or original ideas from the source. Action: In such cases, the authors will be issued a formal warning. They will be requested to revise the plagiarized content and to provide appropriate citations to the original source.
  • Intermediate Plagiarism: Intermediate plagiarism involves the uncredited use of a substantial portion of another paper without appropriate citation. Action: The manuscript will be rejected. Furthermore, the authors will be prohibited from submitting any new manuscripts to IJCES for a period of one year.
  • Severe Plagiarism: Severe plagiarism is characterized by the unauthorized reproduction of significant original ideas or results from another publication. Action: The manuscript will be rejected immediately, and the authors will be banned from submitting any future manuscripts to IJCES for five years.

Based on Similarity Index:

  • Similarity Index Above 40%: If the similarity index exceeds 40%, the manuscript will be rejected outright due to excessive overlap with other works. This includes instances of poor citation practices and/or inadequate paraphrasing. Action: The manuscript is rejected with no option for resubmission.
  • Similarity Index Between 20–39%: If the similarity index is between 20% and 39%, the manuscript will be returned to the authors for revision. Authors must ensure that all instances of similarity are properly cited and paraphrased, even where citations are already present. Action: The manuscript is sent back for improvement and may be reconsidered after proper revision.
  • Similarity Index Equal to or Less Than 20%: If the similarity index is 20% or below, the manuscript may be accepted, although minor revisions may be requested. Authors must ensure that all quoted or paraphrased content is cited correctly. Action: The manuscript is either accepted or minor citation improvements are requested before final acceptance.

3. TECHNICALITIES TO ACHIEVE AND MATERIALIZE THE POLICIES

  • Submission Screening: Upon receiving a new manuscript submission, the editorial office will use Turnitin to generate a similarity report.
  • Report Evaluation: Editorial staff will carefully review the similarity report. A high similarity index does not automatically mean plagiarism; human oversight is crucial. Editors will assess whether identified similarities constitute plagiarism or are legitimate (e.g., common phrases, methodological descriptions standard in the field, or properly cited material).
  • Author Responsibility: Authors are responsible for ensuring the originality of their submissions and for correctly citing all sources. Authors should ensure they have obtained permission to use any copyrighted material.
  • Handling Suspected Cases: If plagiarism is suspected at any stage, the journal will follow established ethical procedures for handling such allegations. This includes providing authors with an opportunity to respond to the allegations.
  • Transparency: The journal is committed to transparency in its plagiarism-checking process. Authors with questions about the plagiarism check are encouraged to contact the editorial office.
  • Continuous Improvement: The journal will regularly review and update its plagiarism policy and procedures to align with best practices and evolving standards in publication ethics.