Plagiarism Policy

1. Policy Statement

Media Husada Journal of Nursing Sciences (MHJNS) is committed to publishing original scholarly work and does not tolerate plagiarism or other forms of publication misconduct. All manuscripts submitted to MHJNS must be original and must appropriately acknowledge the sources of ideas, words, data, images, and other materials obtained from other works.

All submitted manuscripts are subject to similarity screening using plagiarism-detection software, such as Turnitin, as part of the editorial assessment process.

MHJNS applies a maximum overall similarity threshold of 25% as an initial screening guideline. However, the similarity score alone does not determine whether plagiarism has occurred. The editor evaluates the similarity report by considering the sources, extent, location, and context of the matching text, as well as the adequacy of citations and acknowledgments.

A manuscript with a similarity score below 25% may still be considered plagiarized if substantial unattributed material is identified. Conversely, a score exceeding 25% does not automatically establish plagiarism and requires editorial assessment.

2. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the deliberate or unintentional use of another person's words, ideas, theories, data, research findings, images, or other intellectual contributions without appropriate acknowledgment, thereby presenting them as one's own work.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

Direct plagiarism: Copying words, sentences, or substantial portions of another work without proper quotation, attribution, or acknowledgment.
Paraphrasing plagiarism: Rewriting another person's ideas or arguments without appropriately citing the original source.
Idea or data plagiarism: Using another person's theories, research data, findings, methods, figures, tables, or other intellectual contributions without proper acknowledgment.
Self-plagiarism or inappropriate text recycling: Reusing substantial portions of one's own previously published work without appropriate citation, disclosure, or justification.
Duplicate or redundant publication: Submitting or publishing substantially overlapping work without appropriate disclosure or justification.
Unattributed use of third-party materials: Using images, tables, figures, or other copyrighted materials without appropriate acknowledgment or permission where required.

3. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts are original and free from plagiarism. Authors must:

Properly cite and acknowledge all sources used in preparing the manuscript.
Use quotation marks or appropriate formatting when reproducing text verbatim and provide the corresponding citation.
Paraphrase source material accurately and cite the original source.
Obtain permission for the use of copyrighted materials when required.
Disclose relevant prior publications and overlapping manuscripts.
Review their manuscripts for inappropriate textual similarity before submission.

Authors are encouraged to conduct a similarity check before submitting their manuscripts to MHJNS.

4. Similarity Screening Procedure

The editorial team conducts similarity screening during the initial editorial assessment and may repeat the screening during revision or before publication when necessary.

The screening process consists of the following steps:

Initial screening: The editor checks the submitted manuscript using similarity-detection software.
Similarity report assessment: The editor examines the overall similarity score and reviews the matched sources and passages to distinguish legitimate similarities from potential plagiarism.
Editorial action: Based on the findings, the editor may request clarification, require corrections, return the manuscript for revision, reject the manuscript, or take other appropriate action in accordance with the severity of the case.
Further assessment: Where serious concerns remain unresolved, the Editor-in-Chief may conduct further investigation or seek additional information from the authors.

The editorial team retains responsibility for determining whether the identified similarities constitute plagiarism. The software report is an assessment tool and does not replace editorial judgment.

5. Levels of Plagiarism and Editorial Actions

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for reviewing suspected cases of plagiarism and determining appropriate action based on the severity, extent, context, and nature of the identified overlap.

Level 1: Minor or Limited Similarity

This category includes limited instances of copied wording or inadequately paraphrased material where the overall issue can be addressed through appropriate correction and attribution.

Editorial action: The author may receive a formal request to revise the affected text, provide proper citations, and correct any inadequate attribution. The revised manuscript may undergo another similarity check before further consideration.

Level 2: Substantial or Major Plagiarism

This category includes substantial copying from another work without appropriate attribution, extensive unattributed paraphrasing, appropriation of another author's ideas or findings, or other serious violations of originality and publication ethics.

Editorial action: The manuscript may be rejected for publication in MHJNS. Where appropriate, the Editor-in-Chief may request an explanation from the authors and take further action in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics policy and relevant COPE guidance.

If plagiarism or other serious publication misconduct is identified after publication, MHJNS may take appropriate corrective action, including issuing a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction, depending on the circumstances.

6. Appeals and Clarifications

Authors who disagree with an editorial decision related to suspected plagiarism may submit a reasoned explanation and relevant supporting evidence to the editorial team.

The Editor-in-Chief will review the information provided and determine the appropriate course of action. All cases will be handled fairly, confidentially, and in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policies.

7. Commitment to Publication Integrity

MHJNS is committed to protecting the originality, credibility, and integrity of scholarly publications. All authors are expected to observe responsible research and citation practices and to comply with this policy.

The journal follows relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when handling suspected plagiarism and other forms of publication misconduct.

For further information, please refer to: