Plagiarism Policy

Research Integrity Policy

Plagiarism Policy

The International Journal of Education and Skills for the Green Economy is committed to originality, accurate attribution and the responsible communication of scholarly research.

Policy statement

IJESGE does not tolerate plagiarism, undisclosed duplicate publication, inappropriate text recycling, data fabrication, image manipulation or the misappropriation of another person’s ideas, words or research results.

Authors must ensure that submitted manuscripts represent original work and that all material derived from other sources is clearly identified, appropriately cited and used in accordance with applicable copyright requirements.

Forms of plagiarism and improper reuse

Direct plagiarism

Reproducing words, sentences or substantial passages from another source without quotation, citation or permission where required.

Mosaic plagiarism

Combining copied expressions or ideas from one or more sources with minor wording changes while failing to provide clear attribution.

Inadequate paraphrasing

Rewriting another author’s work superficially while preserving its structure or expression without proper acknowledgement.

Idea plagiarism

Presenting another person’s original concept, interpretation, method or argument as one’s own.

Self-plagiarism

Reusing substantial portions of an author’s previously published work without transparent citation, explanation or editorial permission.

Duplicate publication

Submitting or publishing substantially the same work in more than one journal without disclosure and legitimate justification.

Data or image misuse

Using figures, photographs, tables, datasets or visual material created by others without attribution or permission where required.

Translation plagiarism

Translating previously published material from another language and presenting it as original work without citation.

Similarity screening

Manuscripts may be screened with similarity-detection software before peer review, during editorial assessment or after publication if a concern is raised.

A similarity report is an investigative tool and not an automatic finding of plagiarism. Editors assess the nature, source, extent and context of matching material before reaching a decision.

Assessment of similarity

IJESGE does not rely exclusively on a single numerical similarity percentage. A manuscript with a low overall score may still contain serious unattributed copying, while a higher score may result from references, standard terminology, properly quoted text or methodological descriptions.

Each case is evaluated individually through editorial judgement. The decisive issue is whether sources have been used transparently, accurately and ethically.

Requirements for authors

Authors are expected to:

  • Submit original work that has not been published elsewhere;
  • Cite all sources that influenced the research or manuscript;
  • Use quotation marks or block quotation formatting for verbatim text;
  • Paraphrase sources genuinely and provide appropriate citations;
  • Acknowledge the original source of tables, figures, data and images;
  • Obtain reuse permission when required;
  • Disclose any overlap with earlier publications, conference papers, preprints or related manuscripts;
  • Cite their own previously published work when it is reused;
  • Provide copies of related manuscripts when requested by the editor.

Theses, preprints and conference materials

The existence of an earlier thesis, dissertation, preprint, abstract or conference version does not necessarily prevent consideration by IJESGE. However, the author must disclose the earlier version during submission.

The submitted manuscript must provide sufficient additional academic value where applicable, and all previous versions must be appropriately cited or linked. Editors will assess whether the submission constitutes an original and substantively developed scholarly contribution.

Editorial action

Before peer review

A manuscript containing inappropriate overlap may be returned for correction or rejected before external peer review.

During peer review

The review process may be suspended while the journal requests an explanation, supporting documentation or a revised manuscript.

After acceptance

Acceptance may be withdrawn if plagiarism, duplicate publication or material misrepresentation is identified before publication.

After publication

The journal may publish a correction, expression of concern or retraction and may notify relevant institutions where serious misconduct is established.

Author response and due process

Authors will normally be informed of a plagiarism or duplication concern and given an opportunity to provide an explanation and supporting evidence before a final decision is made.

The editorial office will consider the evidence fairly and maintain appropriate confidentiality. Failure to respond within the specified period may result in a decision based on the information available.

Sanctions

Depending on the seriousness and circumstances of the case, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:

  • Request correction of attribution or citation problems;
  • Return the manuscript for substantial revision;
  • Reject or withdraw the manuscript;
  • Publish a correction, expression of concern or retraction;
  • Decline to consider further submissions for a defined period;
  • Inform the authors’ institutions, funders or other relevant bodies in serious or repeated cases.

Reporting suspected plagiarism

Readers, reviewers and researchers who identify possible plagiarism in a submitted or published article should contact the journal’s editorial office.

A report should identify the relevant article, the allegedly affected source and the specific passages or material of concern. Good-faith reports will be examined confidentially and objectively.

Research integrity

IJESGE evaluates plagiarism concerns according to the available evidence, the seriousness of the overlap and internationally recognized principles of publication ethics. Editorial decisions are not based solely on automated similarity scores.

Policy owner: Editorial Office of the International Journal of Education and Skills for the Green Economy

Effective date: 2026

Last reviewed: August 2026