Plagiarism Policy

Introduction

Trends in Medical and Biological Sciences (TMBS) upholds the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. Plagiarism, in any form, damages the credibility of scientific research and undermines the trust of the scholarly community. To safeguard originality, transparency, and reliability, TMBS enforces a strict zero-tolerance plagiarism policy.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as presenting another individual’s intellectual output—ideas, words, data, or images—without appropriate acknowledgment. This includes:

  • Direct Copying – Using text from published or unpublished sources without quotation marks and proper citation.

  • Paraphrasing Without Credit – Rewording another author’s work or findings without acknowledgment.

  • Unacknowledged Data Use – Reproducing figures, graphs, tables, or datasets without referencing the source.

  • Self-Plagiarism – Republishing one’s own previously submitted or published material without disclosure or permission from the prior publisher.

Plagiarism Threshold

  • TMBS Standard: Submitted manuscripts must not exceed a 10% similarity index.

  • HEC Benchmark (Pakistan): While the Higher Education Commission allows up to 19% similarity, TMBS applies stricter limits to ensure the authenticity and originality of medical and biological research.

Detection and Prevention

  • Screening Tools: All manuscripts are checked through advanced plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin).

  • Author Responsibility: Authors are responsible for ensuring that their submission is original, properly cited, and compliant with ethical guidelines.

Handling of Plagiarism

Type of Plagiarism Editorial Action
Minor (unintentional citation errors, oversight) Manuscript returned for revision and correction.
Major (intentional or extensive copying without citation) Immediate rejection. If already published, the article will be retracted and removed from archives.
Repeated or Severe Offenses Authors will be blacklisted from future submissions; institutions or funding agencies may be notified in serious cases.

Author’s Declaration

At the time of submission, all authors must provide a Statement of Originality confirming that:

  1. The manuscript is original and unpublished.

  2. All sources and data have been properly cited.

  3. The work is not under review by another journal.

Appeals Process

Authors who believe a plagiarism ruling was made in error may submit a formal appeal. Appeals are reviewed by the TMBS Editorial Board, and a final decision will be made after impartial evaluation.

Transparency and Retraction Policy

In the event of retraction due to plagiarism, TMBS will publish a formal retraction notice detailing the reason, in order to maintain academic transparency and integrity.

Use of AI-Generated Content

TMBS strictly prohibits the use of AI-generated content (e.g., ChatGPT, Bard, Gemini, etc.) in any part of a manuscript.

  • Manuscripts must reflect original human scholarship and independent scientific thinking.

  • AI-assisted content is not acceptable in abstracts, methods, discussions, or any other section.

  • All submissions must have 0% AI-generated content.

  • Violations will be treated as plagiarism, leading to rejection or retraction.