Screening of Plagiarism

All manuscripts submitted to Equator Science Journal (ESJ) are screened for plagiarism and textual similarity using plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin, iThenticate, or other appropriate similarity-checking tools.

ESJ is committed to maintaining high standards of academic integrity and expects all authors to submit original work. Manuscripts found to contain plagiarism, self-plagiarism, unattributed copying, inappropriate paraphrasing, fabricated citation practices, or excessive textual similarity may be rejected at any stage of the editorial process.

As a general policy, ESJ may reject manuscripts with a similarity index exceeding 20%, especially when the overlap indicates potential plagiarism, self-plagiarism, or substantial unattributed reuse of previously published material. However, the similarity score is not assessed mechanically. Editorial evaluation will also consider the nature, location, source, and context of the overlap, since legitimate similarity may occur in references, methodology descriptions, standard academic phrases, or properly quoted material.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • using another person’s words, ideas, data, images, or findings without proper acknowledgment
  • presenting another author’s interpretation or argument as one’s own
  • reproducing text without quotation marks and citation where required
  • reusing substantial parts of one’s own previously published work without proper disclosure or citation
  • submitting a manuscript that contains excessive overlap with published or submitted works

Authors must provide proper citation whenever they use specific information, data, arguments, interpretations, or ideas derived from another source. If authors reproduce exact wording from another work, they must use both quotation marks and an appropriate citation. Citation alone is not sufficient for verbatim quotation.

Even when overlap occurs unintentionally, plagiarism remains a serious breach of publication ethics. Therefore, authors are expected to review their manuscripts carefully before submission and ensure full compliance with ethical standards of authorship and citation.

If plagiarism or serious similarity concerns are identified:

  • before review, the manuscript may be rejected immediately
  • during review, the editorial process may be suspended pending clarification
  • after acceptance, acceptance may be withdrawn
  • after publication, the article may be corrected, retracted, or otherwise handled in accordance with the journal’s publication ethics and correction or retraction policies

ESJ reserves the right to take appropriate editorial action in all cases of suspected plagiarism or related ethical violations.