Plagiarism Screening

Transformative Law Review is committed to maintaining academic integrity, originality, and ethical standards in scholarly publishing. The journal applies an anti-plagiarism and similarity screening policy to ensure that all submitted manuscripts are original, properly cited, and free from plagiarism, duplicate publication, and other forms of publication misconduct.

All submitted manuscripts are screened using Turnitin or other similarity detection tools before further editorial processing. The maximum allowed similarity index is 15%. Manuscripts exceeding this threshold may be returned to authors for revision or rejected, depending on the nature and severity of the similarity.

Similarity reports are not assessed solely by percentage. The Editorial Board evaluates the context, source, and seriousness of similarity to distinguish between properly cited quotations, common terminology, references, methodological expressions, and potential plagiarism. The final decision is made through editorial assessment in accordance with the journal’s Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the use of another person’s words, ideas, data, arguments, images, tables, figures, research findings, or intellectual work without proper acknowledgment. Plagiarism also includes presenting previously published work, including one’s own work, as new without appropriate citation or disclosure.

The journal considers the following practices as forms of plagiarism or publication misconduct:

  • Copying text, sentences, paragraphs, or sections from another source without quotation marks or proper citation.
  • Paraphrasing another author’s work without sufficient acknowledgment.
  • Using ideas, arguments, concepts, theories, data, tables, figures, or images from another source without proper attribution.
  • Submitting a manuscript that has been published elsewhere, either in full or in substantial part.
  • Reusing the author’s own previously published work without citation or disclosure, also known as self-plagiarism or text recycling.
  • Submitting the same or substantially similar manuscript to more than one journal at the same time.
  • Manipulating citations, references, or sources to misrepresent originality or scholarly contribution.
  • Using fabricated, falsified, or unattributed data, findings, or research materials.

Similarity Threshold

The maximum similarity index accepted by the journal is 15%. However, a manuscript with a similarity score below 15% may still be rejected if plagiarism, duplicate publication, improper paraphrasing, citation manipulation, or other ethical violations are identified. Conversely, similarity caused by references, standard terminology, institutional names, legal phrases, or properly cited quotations will be evaluated carefully by the editorial team.

Screening Process

  1. The manuscript is submitted through the journal’s Online Journal System (OJS).
  2. The editorial team conducts an initial screening for scope, format, metadata completeness, and similarity.
  3. The manuscript is checked using Turnitin or other similarity detection tools.
  4. The similarity report is reviewed by the editorial team to determine whether the similarity is acceptable, requires revision, or indicates plagiarism.
  5. Manuscripts that pass the initial screening may proceed to peer review.

Levels of Plagiarism and Editorial Actions

Minor Similarity or Minor Plagiarism

Minor similarity refers to limited overlap, short unattributed phrases, technical expressions, or citation problems that do not substantially affect the originality of the manuscript.

Editorial Action: The manuscript may be returned to the author for correction, proper citation, paraphrasing, or revision before further editorial processing.

Moderate Plagiarism

Moderate plagiarism includes copying sentences, paragraphs, arguments, or data from other sources without adequate citation, or substantial text recycling from the author’s previous work without proper disclosure.

Editorial Action: The manuscript may be rejected. Authors may be asked to provide clarification, and future submissions may be subject to closer editorial screening.

Severe Plagiarism or Publication Misconduct

Severe plagiarism includes deliberate and extensive copying of text, data, findings, methods, conceptual frameworks, or previously published work without acknowledgment. It also includes duplicate publication, fabricated data, falsified data, citation manipulation, or other serious breaches of publication ethics.

Editorial Action: The manuscript will be rejected. The Editorial Board may prohibit the author(s) from submitting to the journal for a specified period, notify the authors’ institution where appropriate, and take further action in accordance with the journal’s Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement.

Plagiarism in Published Articles

If plagiarism or publication misconduct is identified after publication, the journal will investigate the case in accordance with its Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement. Depending on the severity of the case, the journal may issue a correction, expression of concern, retraction, or article withdrawal. The journal may also notify relevant institutions or parties where necessary.

Author Responsibility

Authors are fully responsible for ensuring the originality of their manuscripts. Authors must properly cite all sources, obtain permission where required, avoid duplicate submission, disclose any previous dissemination of the work, and ensure that all co-authors approve the final version of the manuscript before submission.

Clarification and Appeal

Authors may be asked to provide clarification if similarity or suspected plagiarism is identified. If authors disagree with an editorial decision related to plagiarism or similarity screening, they may submit a written appeal to the editorial office. The appeal will be reviewed by the editor, and where necessary, by members of the Editorial Board.

Note: The journal reserves the right to reject, retract, or withdraw manuscripts or published articles that violate this policy. In cases of proven plagiarism or repeated ethical violations, the journal may notify the authors’ institutions or affiliated organizations.