Plagiarism Policy

Upholding Research Integrity in Case Reports

The Archives of Case Reports (ACR) is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of academic honesty and originality in scientific publishing. We enforce a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism to ensure the credibility and reliability of published case reports and clinical studies.

Plagiarism, including direct copying, self-plagiarism, paraphrasing without citation, and misuse of previously published content, is a serious violation of publication ethics. ACR is committed to preventing and addressing any unethical practices to uphold the integrity of medical and clinical research.

Plagiarism Screening Process

All submitted manuscripts undergo thorough plagiarism detection using advanced tools such as iThenticate and Turnitin. This ensures originality before the peer-review process.

Key screening measures include:

  • Comparing content with published literature, books, and online sources.
  • Detecting duplicate submissions or overlapping content in multiple journals.
  • Assessing proper citation and reference usage.
  • Identifying instances of self-plagiarism and redundant publication.

Any manuscript exceeding a 15% similarity index (excluding references and standard medical terminology) may be returned for revision or rejected outright.

Types of Plagiarism Considered Unacceptable

ACR actively monitors and prohibits the following types of plagiarism:

  • Direct Plagiarism: Copying text from another source without citation.
  • Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one’s previously published work without proper attribution.
  • Mosaic Plagiarism: Rewording sections from multiple sources without acknowledgment.
  • Data Fabrication: Manipulating or falsifying research findings.

Authors must ensure their work is original, properly cited, and ethically sound before submission.

Consequences of Plagiarism

Plagiarism violations in ACR may result in the following actions:

  • Manuscript Rejection: Submissions with plagiarism will be declined.
  • Author Blacklisting: Repeat offenders may be restricted from future submissions.
  • Retraction of Published Articles: Post-publication plagiarism will lead to immediate retraction.
  • Institutional Notification: Severe cases may be reported to the author’s affiliated institution.

Offenders may also face public disclosure of misconduct and formal action under ethical publishing guidelines.

Guidelines for Authors

To maintain research integrity, authors must:

  • Properly cite all referenced materials.
  • Acknowledge sources for borrowed ideas or data.
  • Submit only original and unpublished manuscripts.
  • Use plagiarism detection tools before submission to verify content originality.

Authors are encouraged to review the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines for additional guidance on ethical publishing.

Commitment to Ethical Publishing

ACR is committed to upholding the highest standards of research integrity. By enforcing strict plagiarism policies, we ensure the authenticity and credibility of published case reports and clinical studies.

For any concerns related to plagiarism, please contact the editorial office at [email protected].