Plagiarism Policy

Ensuring Research Integrity and Originality

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Therapy (JSMT) is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and ensuring that all published research is original, credible, and free from plagiarism. We uphold a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism and any form of unethical publication practices.

Plagiarism is a serious academic offense that includes copying or using another author's work without appropriate citation, self-plagiarism, improper paraphrasing, and data fabrication. JSMT follows strict ethical guidelines to ensure transparency and authenticity in the field of sports medicine and therapy.

Plagiarism Detection and Screening

All manuscripts submitted to JSMT are subjected to thorough plagiarism checks using industry-standard tools such as iThenticate and Turnitin. These tools help detect similarities with previously published research, academic databases, and online sources.

The following measures are taken:

  • Comparison of submitted manuscripts with existing literature.
  • Verification of proper citation and reference integrity.
  • Detection of duplicate submissions in other journals.
  • Identification of instances of self-plagiarism or redundant publication.

If a manuscript exhibits a similarity index above 15% (excluding references, standard sports medicine terminology, and citations), the authors may be requested to revise the content or, in severe cases, the manuscript may be rejected.

Forms of Unacceptable Plagiarism

The following types of plagiarism are strictly prohibited:

  • Direct Plagiarism: Copying verbatim text from another source without proper citation.
  • Self-Plagiarism: Republishing one's own previously published work without significant modification or citation.
  • Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rewording another author's ideas without acknowledging the source.
  • Fabrication of Data: Manipulating or falsifying research findings.

Authors must ensure that all references, ideas, and data used in their manuscripts are properly credited to their original sources.

Consequences of Plagiarism

Plagiarism and unethical research practices can lead to serious consequences, including:

  • Manuscript Rejection: Any manuscript found containing plagiarized content will be immediately rejected.
  • Author Ban: Authors who commit plagiarism may be prohibited from submitting future manuscripts.
  • Retraction of Published Articles: If plagiarism is identified after publication, the article will be retracted.
  • Institutional Notification: In cases of severe misconduct, the author’s affiliated institution may be informed.

JSMT reserves the right to take necessary legal and ethical measures against individuals found guilty of plagiarism.

Author Responsibilities

To uphold ethical publishing practices, authors must:

  • Submit only original and unpublished research.
  • Ensure proper citation of all references.
  • Verify their work using plagiarism detection tools before submission.
  • Acknowledge all contributors and sources of data.

Authors are encouraged to adhere to the ethical guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) to maintain research integrity.

Commitment to Ethical Publishing

JSMT is dedicated to upholding the integrity and authenticity of research in sports medicine and therapy. By enforcing strict plagiarism policies, we ensure that only high-quality and original research contributes to the advancement of the field.

For any queries regarding plagiarism policies, please contact the editorial office at [email protected].