Plagiarism Policy

The Worldwide Journal of Creative Research and Thoughts (WJCRT) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. Plagiarism in any form is considered a serious violation of publication ethics and is strictly prohibited.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Direct Copying: Copying text, data, images, or ideas from published or unpublished sources without proper citation.
  • Paraphrasing: Substantially paraphrasing another work without appropriate acknowledgment.
  • Self-Plagiarism: Duplicate publication or significant overlap with previously published work without proper acknowledgment.
  • Data Fabrication or Falsification: Manipulating data or results in a way that misrepresents the research.
  • Improper or Misleading Attribution: Attributing authorship or contributions to individuals who have not made substantial contributions to the work.

Plagiarism Detection

All submitted manuscripts to WJCRT undergo plagiarism screening using reliable plagiarism detection software, such as Turnitin, iThenticate, or equivalent tools. Manuscripts must adhere to the journal's acceptable similarity index thresholds.

  • Similarity Thresholds:
    • Up to 10-15% similarity: Generally acceptable, excluding references and commonly used terms.
    • 15-25% similarity: Manuscript may be returned to authors for revision.
    • Above 25% similarity: Manuscript is subject to immediate rejection.

Similarity arising from references, standard terminology, or methodological descriptions may be excluded from evaluation. However, any substantial overlap with previously published work will be flagged for further review.

Consequences of Plagiarism

If plagiarism is identified at any stage of the manuscript review process, the following actions may be taken:

  • Before Publication:
    The manuscript will be rejected, and the authors will be notified of the plagiarism findings. Authors may be advised to revise the manuscript and resubmit it with proper citations and corrections.
  • After Publication:
    If plagiarism is detected after the manuscript has been published, the article may be retracted with a public notice. The authors may be barred from submitting to the journal for a specified period, and the author's affiliated institution may be notified, if necessary.

Author Responsibility

  • Originality: Authors are fully responsible for ensuring that their work is original, properly cited, and compliant with ethical standards.
  • Citation: All sources, including previous publications, data, images, and ideas, must be properly cited using the appropriate referencing style as prescribed by the journal.
  • Permissions: Authors must obtain necessary permissions for copyrighted material used in their work and ensure that proper attribution is given for any third-party content.

Editorial Responsibility

The editorial team of WJCRT adheres to guidelines prescribed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Editors are responsible for ensuring the integrity of the peer-review process, identifying potential cases of plagiarism, and taking appropriate action when necessary. Any breach of publishing ethics will be thoroughly investigated, and necessary steps will be taken to maintain the journal's credibility.

Policy Updates

This plagiarism policy may be updated periodically to reflect evolving academic and ethical standards. Any revisions will be published on the journal's official website.