Plagiarism Policy
At Zendo Academic Publishing (ZAP), we adhere to a strict Plagiarism Policy to ensure the originality and integrity of the scholarly work we publish. Plagiarism, in any form, undermines the credibility of academic research and violates the principles of academic honesty. ZAP is committed to maintaining a high standard of academic integrity and expects all authors, reviewers, and editors involved in the publication process to adhere to this policy.
1. Definition of Plagiarism:
- Plagiarism is defined as presenting someone else's work, ideas, words, or intellectual property without proper acknowledgment or permission, and claiming it as one's own.
- Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, copying and pasting, paraphrasing without appropriate citation, and reproducing figures or tables without proper attribution.
2. Detection of Plagiarism:
- ZAP utilizes plagiarism detection software to identify potential cases of plagiarism in submitted manuscripts.
- The editorial team and reviewers are also vigilant in identifying any instances of suspected plagiarism during the peer-review process.
3. Author Responsibilities:
- Authors must ensure that their submitted manuscripts are entirely original and properly cite and acknowledge the work of others that have influenced their research.
- Authors should not submit the same manuscript or substantial portions of it to multiple journals simultaneously.
- Authors are responsible for obtaining permissions and licenses for the use of copyrighted materials, including images, illustrations, and lengthy quotations.
4. Editorial Actions for Plagiarism:
- In cases where plagiarism is detected, the authors will be notified and possible rejection of the manuscript.
- Authors found to have committed plagiarism may be prohibited from submitting future manuscripts to ZAP within a period of 6 months.
- For published articles, if plagiarism is discovered after publication, the article will be retracted, and an official retraction notice will be published.
5. Appeals and Dispute Resolution:
- Authors have the right to appeal the decision of plagiarism determination if they believe it is in error or misunderstanding.
6. Self-Plagiarism Policy:
- Authors should refrain from self-plagiarism, which involves reusing significant portions of their own previously published works without proper citation.
- If authors include their previously published work in a new manuscript, appropriate citation and permission should be obtained.
7. Education and Awareness:
- ZAP will conduct periodic awareness campaigns and educational initiatives to inform authors, reviewers, and editors about the importance of avoiding plagiarism and maintaining academic integrity.
8. Plagiarism in Reviews and Editorial Processes:
- Reviewers and editors involved in the peer-review process are expected to adhere to the same standards of academic integrity and avoid any form of plagiarism in their reviews and editorial decisions.