Screening and Plagiarism

The Journal of Research in Artificial Intelligence for Systems and Applications (RAISA) is committed to ensuring the highest standards of academic integrity in the research we publish. As part of our commitment to upholding ethical scholarly practices, we take a strong stance against plagiarism, self-plagiarism, and other forms of research misconduct. This policy outlines how we handle manuscript screening and plagiarism detection to maintain the quality and trustworthiness of our journal.

1. Manuscript Screening Process

At RAISA, all submitted manuscripts undergo a rigorous screening process designed to identify any issues related to academic integrity, including plagiarism, data fabrication, and redundancy in publication. The primary goals of this process are to:

  • Ensure the originality of submitted work: We verify that the manuscript is an original piece of research and has not been published elsewhere.
  • Identify possible conflicts of interest: We check for potential conflicts that may affect the impartiality of the peer-review process.
  • Assess ethical compliance: We ensure that the research complies with ethical standards in terms of human and animal studies, informed consent, and data collection.

2. Plagiarism Detection

RAISA uses state-of-the-art plagiarism detection tools to screen all submitted manuscripts for potential plagiarism. This includes, but is not limited to, checking for:

  • Text similarity: Manuscripts are checked against online databases and academic repositories to identify passages that match previously published works.
  • Self-plagiarism: We closely monitor instances where authors may reuse their own previously published work without proper citation, which constitutes self-plagiarism.
  • Inadequate or improper citation: Any form of failure to credit sources properly, whether intentionally or unintentionally, is considered plagiarism.

RAISA uses tools such as Turnitin or similar industry-standard software to assess text overlap with existing published material. Authors whose submissions show significant similarities to previously published works will be notified and asked to provide clarifications, proper citations, or revise the manuscript as necessary.

3. Handling of Plagiarism Cases

  • Minor Cases: If a manuscript is found to contain minor instances of plagiarism (e.g., improper or missing citations), the author will be contacted to make corrections before the manuscript proceeds further in the review process. The author will be asked to properly reference the relevant works and provide explanations if necessary.

  • Major Cases: In the case of significant plagiarism or self-plagiarism (e.g., substantial portions of text copied verbatim or insufficiently cited), the manuscript will be rejected immediately, and the author(s) will be notified of the reasons for rejection. The editorial team will document the case for future reference and may take additional actions if necessary.

  • Repeated Offenses: Authors found to repeatedly violate the journal’s anti-plagiarism policies may be barred from submitting manuscripts to RAISA in the future. This action will be taken in the interest of preserving the academic integrity of the journal.

4. Prevention of Plagiarism

RAISA encourages authors to be proactive in preventing plagiarism by adhering to best practices for academic writing, including:

  • Properly citing all sources: Authors should ensure that all ideas, data, or text that are not their own are properly attributed to the original source, using appropriate citation styles.
  • Avoiding duplicate publication: Authors should refrain from submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals or publishing identical data in multiple papers without disclosure.
  • Clear and accurate referencing: Authors should use clear and accurate references to indicate where ideas, theories, or data have been taken from other works.

Additionally, RAISA provides authors with guidelines on proper citation practices to help prevent accidental plagiarism.

5. Editorial Oversight

RAISA’s editorial team plays a key role in the screening and plagiarism detection process. The following steps are taken by the editorial team:

  • Initial Manuscript Review: The editor performs a preliminary check to ensure that the manuscript meets the journal's standards and guidelines. This includes assessing the manuscript for originality, potential conflicts of interest, and ethical concerns.

  • Plagiarism Report Review: After the manuscript is screened for plagiarism, the editor reviews the plagiarism report, paying attention to any flagged instances of similarity. The editor decides on the appropriate action based on the severity of the issue.

  • Communication with Authors: If any plagiarism or ethical concerns are identified, the editor communicates with the corresponding author to request clarification, revisions, or further explanation.

6. Ethical Guidelines for Authors

RAISA expects authors to uphold the highest standards of integrity when submitting their work. Authors are required to:

  • Ensure originality: Authors must submit original, unpublished work and avoid any form of plagiarism, including copying from other authors or reusing their own previously published work without proper citation.
  • Provide accurate references: All sources used in the manuscript must be accurately referenced, including direct quotes, data, and ideas.
  • Disclose any potential conflicts of interest: Authors must declare any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the content of the manuscript.
  • Respect copyright laws: Authors should ensure that they have the necessary permissions to use third-party materials, such as figures, tables, or images, in their work.

7. Use of Plagiarism Detection Software

RAISA uses plagiarism detection software to help identify text overlaps and ensure that the manuscripts we publish meet high academic and ethical standards. The use of such tools is part of our editorial responsibility to maintain transparency and academic rigor. Authors should be aware that their manuscripts will be screened for potential plagiarism before proceeding with the review process.

8. Transparency and Appeal Process

RAISA upholds a transparent process when dealing with plagiarism or ethical violations. If authors disagree with a plagiarism finding, they have the right to appeal. In such cases, the following process will be followed:

  • Appeal Submission: Authors may submit a formal appeal to the editorial team, providing a detailed explanation or any additional information that may clarify the situation.
  • Review of Appeal: The editorial team will review the appeal and the original plagiarism report and may consult external experts if necessary.
  • Final Decision: After reviewing the appeal, the editorial team will make a final decision regarding the manuscript’s status, and authors will be notified promptly.