Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy of VIMS Journal of Physical Therapy (VIMSJPT)

VIMS Journal of Physical Therapy (VIMSJPT) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and adheres to the standardized guidelines. 

Plagiarism, defined as the unethical presentation of another individual's work as one’s own, is strictly prohibited. This policy outlines the detection, handling, and prevention of plagiarism to ensure transparency and ethical publishing.

Definition and Forms of Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  1. Direct Copying:

    • Reproducing verbatim text from another source without proper attribution through citations or quotation marks.
    • Copying material from digital or electronic sources without appropriate citations.

  2. Authorship Misrepresentation:

    • Listing individuals as authors who have not made significant contributions to the manuscript.

  3. Paraphrasing and Summarization:

    • Rephrasing another author’s work without due credit. Proper citation is required even when substituting words or restructuring sentences.
    • Paraphrasing or summarizing should accurately convey the original meaning using the author’s unique language and structure.

  4. Reusing Previously Published Text or Data:

    • Republishing one’s own text or data ("self-plagiarism") without acknowledgment is prohibited unless transparently disclosed.
    • Authors may reanalyze previously published data using new techniques, provided transparency is maintained, and prior analyses are clearly cited.

  5. Condensed Descriptions of Others’ Work:

    • Authors must use their own original text when condensing another’s work and ensure proper citation.

Editorial Process for Plagiarism Detection

All submitted manuscripts are screened for plagiarism using URKUND/iThenticate/Turnitin/ Drillbit  anti-plagiarism software prior to peer review. A detailed plagiarism report is generated and shared with the authors alongside the initial review feedback.

Plagiarism Levels and Article Status

The following thresholds are applied to assess plagiarism in submissions:

Plagiarism Level Article Status
0-10% Accepted without modification.
10-20% Modifications required; resubmission necessary.
Above 20% Rejected outright.

Articles with 10-20% plagiarism are returned to authors for modification. Upon resubmission, if the revised manuscript achieves a plagiarism level below 10%, it will be accepted for publication.

For articles requiring modification, the manuscript undergoes a second plagiarism check after resubmission. The final decision on acceptance is based on the outcome of the plagiarism check and reviewer feedback. 

Ethical Guidelines

VIMSJPT follows the UGC Guidelines on the Prevention of Plagiarism in Higher Educational Institutions (2018) to promote originality and ethical research practices. The journal also adheres to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines.

Relevant guidelines:

Exclusions in Plagiarism Check

The following content is excluded from plagiarism screening:

  • Properly quoted material with necessary permission and attribution.
  • References, bibliographies, table of contents, prefaces, and acknowledgments.
  • Common terms, standard symbols, laws, and equations.

Transparency and Open Access Commitment

The plagiarism policy aligns with the ethical and technical standards, ensuring transparency, ethical publishing practices, and high-quality research dissemination.

This policy underscores the journal’s commitment to academic integrity, open access, and the promotion of original scholarship.