Plagiarism and Research Misconduct Policy
Plagiarism and Research Misconduct Policy
Neutrosophic Sets and Systems
Neutrosophic Sets and Systems (NSS) has a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, and all forms of unethical conduct in research and publishing. We are committed to ensuring the authenticity, originality, and ethical integrity of all work published in the journal.
This policy is based on international standards, including those from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), ICMJE, and Elsevier’s Ethics in Research & Publication Guidelines.
- Definition of Misconduct
Research misconduct includes but is not limited to:
- Plagiarism: Using another person’s words, ideas, images, or data without proper attribution
- Self-plagiarism: Republishing one’s own previously published work without proper citation or justification
- Data fabrication: Making up data or results
- Data falsification: Manipulating research materials, data, or processes
- Image manipulation: Altering images or figures in a misleading way
- Citation manipulation: Adding irrelevant citations to increase metrics
- Ghost authorship: Omitting contributors who meet authorship criteria
- Gift authorship: Listing authors who did not contribute to the work
- Redundant publication: Submitting the same work to multiple journals or publishing it more than once without disclosure
- Plagiarism Screening
All submitted manuscripts are checked using iThenticate plagiarism detection software (via the University of New Mexico license) before peer review. The editorial team examines:
- Similarity percentage
- Overlapping phrases, figures, or references
- Improperly cited quotations or paraphrased ideas
A similarity index above 20%, especially in the core content (abstract, introduction, results, discussion), is flagged for editorial investigation.
- Editorial Actions on Misconduct
If potential misconduct is detected at any stage (pre- or post-publication), the following steps are taken:
- Initial Assessment
The Editor-in-Chief or Managing Editor conducts a preliminary investigation. - Author Notification
Authors are informed of the concern and asked for clarification or supporting evidence. - Formal Investigation
If the issue persists, the matter may be escalated to the full editorial board or the author’s institution. - Decisions and Actions
Depending on the outcome: - Minor overlap: Request for revision and proper citation
- Confirmed plagiarism or misconduct:
- Rejection of the manuscript
- Retraction (if already published)
- Notification to the author's institution and funders
- Temporary or permanent ban from future submissions
All actions are documented and follow COPE flowcharts for handling unethical behavior.
- Preprint and Prior Publication Policy
Authors must disclose any previous dissemination of the manuscript content, including:
- Preprint servers
- Conference Proceedings
- Theses or dissertations
Prior public sharing does not constitute misconduct, but it must be clearly stated in the cover letter and acknowledged within the manuscript if applicable.
- Author Responsibilities
By submitting a manuscript to NSS, authors confirm that:
- The submission is original and has not been submitted elsewhere
- All data and results are accurate and authentic
- The proper citation has been given to all sources, including previous work by the same authors
- All contributors are listed as authors, and no false authorship has been included
- Reviewer and Editorial Misconduct
Misconduct is not limited to authors. If a reviewer or editor:
- Misuses confidential information
- Fails to disclose a conflict of interest
- Attempts to influence acceptance through unethical means
They will be removed from the review board and may be reported to their institution or governing body.
- Reporting Misconduct
Any allegations of misconduct (whether by authors, reviewers, or editors) should be reported confidentially to: smarand@unm.edu
