Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy of the Journal of Indian Library Association (JILA)

Preamble

JILA is committed to the highest standards of ethical publishing. As a respected journal in the field of Library and Information Science, we emphasize originality, transparency, and the responsible use of scholarly sources. Plagiarism in any form is unethical and unacceptable.

Scope of Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers to presenting another’s work, ideas, data, or expressions as one’s own without proper acknowledgment. It includes:

  • Verbatim copying without quotation marks or citation.
  • Paraphrasing with minor rewording but retaining the original structure or idea.
  • Self-plagiarism (reusing significant parts of one’s own work without disclosure).
  • Using images, tables, or datasets without permission or citation.
  • Improper or missing citations.
  • Translating content from other languages and presenting it as original work.

Pre-Publication Originality Screening

All submitted manuscripts undergo mandatory plagiarism checks using licensed software like Turnitin or iThenticate. Reports are reviewed to assess the nature and source of overlap.

Similarity Index Guidelines:

Similarity Score Editorial Action
≤ 10% Acceptable
11–20% Requires Revision with Proper Citations
>20% Rejected or Sent Back for Major Rewriting

Editorial Response to Detected Plagiarism

  1. Editorial board verifies with evidence and a similarity report.
  2. Authors are notified and given 14 working days to respond.
  3. A Fact-Finding Committee may be formed to assess the response.
  4. Possible outcomes:
    • Rejection of manuscript.
    • Return for revision.
    • Escalation to disciplinary action.

Post-Publication Discovery

  • Retraction notice will be issued and linked to the article.
  • Indexing services and repositories will be notified.
  • The article will be watermarked: “Retracted due to Plagiarism.”
  • Authors and their institutions will be formally informed.

Sanctions and Blacklisting

  • Submission ban for 3–5 years or more.
  • Permanent blacklisting for severe/repeat cases.
  • Institutional and funding body notification.
  • Reporting to UGC/INFLIBNET, if necessary.

Author Declaration and Responsibility

Upon submission, authors must:

  • Declare originality and exclusivity of submission.
  • Disclose any previous versions (e.g., preprints).
  • Give due credit to all sources and collaborators.
  • Take full accountability for the content submitted.

Appeals Process

Authors may appeal decisions within 30 days by providing:

  • Detailed explanation and justification.
  • Evidence or corrections, if applicable.

The Advisory Board will independently review and make a final decision.

Awareness and Education

  • Organizing ethics workshops for researchers.
  • Encouraging institutional anti-plagiarism initiatives.
  • Collaborating with libraries to build ethical publishing practices.

References and Ethical Alignment

This policy is aligned with:

  • COPE Guidelines
  • UGC Academic Integrity Framework (2018)
  • Indian Copyright Act, 1957
  • ILA’s ethical publishing mission

Date of Effect: June 2025
Policy Review Cycle: Biannual (Every two years)
Approved by: Editorial Board, Journal of Indian Library Association