Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy

The Indonesian Journal of Health Informatics (IJHI) maintains an uncompromising stance on academic integrity. We expect all submissions to be entirely original. This policy outlines our definitions of academic misconduct, our rigorous screening protocols, and the consequences of plagiarism to ensure the highest quality of scholarly publication.

1. Definition and Types of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the unethical appropriation of another's intellectual work—including words, ideas, data, or figures—without proper attribution. IJHI strictly prohibits all forms of plagiarism, including:

  • Direct Plagiarism: Verbatim copying of text without quotation marks and appropriate citation.
  • Self-Plagiarism: Recycling substantial portions of one’s own previously published work without explicit citation or editorial consent.
  • Mosaic (Patchwork) Plagiarism: Interweaving phrases or ideas from multiple sources without adequate acknowledgment.
  • Improper Paraphrasing: Modifying source content with merely superficial word changes while omitting citations.
  • Data & Media Plagiarism: Utilizing datasets, tables, figures, or images without securing permission and providing attribution.

2. Similarity Screening and Thresholds

All manuscripts submitted to IJHI undergo rigorous screening using industry-standard plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin) prior to peer review.

  • Maximum Acceptable Similarity: The overall similarity index must be ≤ 15%.
  • Single-Source Limit: Similarity matching from any single individual source must not exceed 5%.
  • Exclusions: The bibliography/references list, highly specific methodological terminology, and standard mathematical/health definitions may be excluded from the final calculation.
  • Editorial Discretion: The similarity index is a diagnostic tool. Final editorial judgment is applied in strict accordance with COPE and SINTA best practice guidelines.

3. Author Responsibilities

By submitting a manuscript to IJHI, authors explicitly confirm that:

  • The manuscript is entirely original and has not been published or submitted elsewhere.
  • All sources, data, and intellectual contributions of others are properly cited and referenced.
  • Necessary permissions have been obtained for the reproduction of any copyrighted materials (e.g., figures, extensive data tables).
  • Any unavoidable overlap with previous publications has been transparently disclosed to the editorial team.

4. Editorial Actions, Sanctions, and Appeals

Violations of this Plagiarism Policy will result in immediate editorial action:

  • Minor Overlap: The manuscript is returned to the authors for revision and proper citation mapping.
  • Moderate Overlap: Formal rejection of the manuscript, accompanied by written notification outlining the specific ethical breaches.
  • Severe Plagiarism: Immediate rejection, a submission ban for all involved authors for a defined period, and potential formal notification to the authors' affiliated institutions.
  • Post-Publication Discovery: If plagiarism is identified after publication, IJHI reserves the right to issue a formal correction, expression of concern, or full retraction in alignment with COPE protocols.
  • Appeals: Authors may appeal decisions regarding plagiarism by submitting a formal written explanation to the Editor-in-Chief. The editorial decision following the appeal review is final.