Plagiarism Policy

The Journal of Design Service and Social Innovation (JDSSI) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. Plagiarism in any form is a serious violation of these standards and will not be tolerated.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the use of others' published or unpublished ideas, words, data, or creative work without proper attribution. This includes, but is not limited to:

Direct plagiarism: Copying text word-for-word from another source without quotation marks or proper citation
Paraphrasing plagiarism: Rewording someone else's work without proper citation, even if the text is substantially changed
Mosaic plagiarism: Mixing copied phrases or ideas from multiple sources without proper attribution
Self-plagiarism: Reusing one's own previously published work without disclosure or proper citation
Duplicate submission: Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously
Data plagiarism: Using others' research data, findings, or methodologies without acknowledgment
Image plagiarism: Using figures, photographs, or illustrations from other sources without permission and attribution
Idea plagiarism: Appropriating original ideas, theories, or concepts from others without proper acknowledgment

Detection of Plagiarism

JDSSI employs multiple methods to detect plagiarism:

Automated plagiarism detection software: All submissions are screened using professional plagiarism detection tools
Editorial review: Editors manually review manuscripts for signs of plagiarism during the initial assessment
Peer review: Reviewers may identify plagiarism or improper citations during the review process
Post-publication monitoring: Published articles may be randomly checked for plagiarism

Screening occurs at multiple stages:

Upon initial submission
After revisions are submitted
Before final publication
Randomly for published articles

Acceptable Similarity Thresholds

While some similarity with existing literature is inevitable, JDSSI applies the following guidelines:

Overall similarity: Manuscripts should have less than 20% similarity with other sources (excluding references)
Single source similarity: No more than 3% similarity with any single source
Methods sections: Higher similarity may be acceptable for standard methodological descriptions, but must be properly cited

Note: These thresholds are guidelines. Each case is evaluated individually based on context, and proper citation is always required regardless of similarity percentage.

Self-Plagiarism and Duplicate Publication

Self-Plagiarism

Authors must disclose if their manuscript:

Contains material from their own previously published work
Overlaps substantially with other manuscripts they have submitted or plan to submit
Reuses data, figures, or substantial text from their previous publications
Is derived from their thesis or dissertation

Acceptable Practices

The following are acceptable with proper disclosure and citation:

Building on previous work with proper self-citation
Including limited background material from earlier papers when necessary for context
Reusing one's own figures or tables with disclosure, proper citation, and copyright permission
Developing work from a thesis or dissertation (with disclosure)

Unacceptable Practices

The following constitute self-plagiarism:

Duplicate submission: Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals simultaneously
Redundant publication: Publishing essentially the same study in multiple journals
Salami slicing: Breaking one study into multiple publications without justification
Text recycling: Republishing substantial portions of text without disclosure and citation
Copyright violation: Reusing one's own previously published material without obtaining copyright permission from the publisher

AI-Generated Content and Plagiarism

Use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in manuscript preparation requires full disclosure:

Authors must disclose any use of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Bard) in the manuscript preparation
AI-generated content without proper disclosure and verification is considered academic misconduct
Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of all content in their manuscripts
AI-generated text must be substantially revised, verified, and integrated by the authors
Direct copying of AI-generated content without substantial human revision may be treated as plagiarism

See the journal's Artificial Intelligence Policy for complete guidelines on acceptable AI use.

Consequences of Plagiarism

Before Publication

If plagiarism is detected before publication:

Minor plagiarism: The manuscript will be returned to the authors for revision and proper citation. Resubmission may be allowed at the editor's discretion.
Moderate plagiarism: The manuscript will be rejected. Authors may be allowed to resubmit a completely revised manuscript after a waiting period (typically 6-12 months).
Severe plagiarism: The manuscript will be immediately rejected with no opportunity for resubmission. The case will be reported to the authors' institutions and may result in a ban from future submissions.

After Publication

If plagiarism is discovered after publication:

The article will be retracted with a public retraction notice
The DOI will remain active but will link to the retraction notice
The authors' institutions will be formally notified
The authors may be banned from submitting to JDSSI for a specified period or permanently
The case may be reported to relevant academic bodies and plagiarism databases
Authors may be added to a watchlist for heightened scrutiny of future submissions

Institutional Notification

In cases of confirmed plagiarism, JDSSI reserves the right to:

Notify the authors' affiliated institutions
Report the case to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
Share information with other journals and publishers
Make the case public if it represents a pattern of misconduct

Author Responsibilities

To avoid plagiarism, authors must:

Always cite sources: Properly attribute all ideas, data, text, figures, and concepts that are not your own original work
Use quotation marks: Direct quotes must be placed in quotation marks and properly cited
Paraphrase properly: Paraphrasing requires substantial rewriting in your own words and voice, not just changing a few words
Obtain permissions: Secure necessary permissions for reusing copyrighted material, including your own previously published work
Disclose conflicts: Declare any potential conflicts of interest or prior publication of related work
Keep detailed records: Maintain careful records of sources consulted during research
Use reference management tools: Employ software like Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote to track sources
Check your work: Use plagiarism detection tools to check your manuscript before submission
Understand fair use: Familiarize yourself with copyright and fair use principles in academic publishing

Proper Citation Practices

To ensure proper attribution:

Cite the original source of an idea, theory, or data, even if you learned about it from a secondary source
When paraphrasing, ensure you are truly expressing ideas in your own words and sentence structure
If you must use exact wording, use quotation marks and provide page numbers
Cite common knowledge only if it's truly common in your field; when in doubt, cite
Follow JDSSI's citation style (Chicago Manual of Style) consistently
Include complete and accurate reference information for all cited works

Examples of Proper and Improper Citation

Original Text:

"Design thinking represents a fundamental shift from product-centered to human-centered approaches in innovation processes."

Improper (Plagiarism):

Design thinking is a fundamental shift from product-centered to human-centered approaches in innovation.

Problem: Nearly identical wording without quotation marks or citation.

Improper (Insufficient paraphrasing):

Design thinking represents a major change from product-focused to human-focused methods in innovation processes (Author, 2020).

Problem: Only minor word changes; sentence structure remains the same.

Proper (Direct quote):

According to the author (2020, p. 45), "Design thinking represents a fundamental shift from product-centered to human-centered approaches in innovation processes."

Proper (Paraphrase):

The author (2020) argues that the emergence of design thinking has reoriented innovation practices to prioritize human needs over product features.

Note: Substantially reworded with different sentence structure and proper citation.

Disputed Cases and Appeals

Authors who believe they have been wrongly accused of plagiarism may:

Submit a written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief within 30 days of notification
Provide evidence supporting their case, such as drafts, notes, or documentation of original work
Explain apparent similarities and demonstrate proper citation practices

The editorial board will review appeals. The decision of the editorial board is final.

Good Practice Recommendations

To maintain the highest standards of academic integrity:

Start with original research and a genuine contribution to knowledge
Keep detailed notes and records of all sources during the research process
Write in your own voice and style
Cite generously and accurately
When in doubt about whether to cite, cite
Use plagiarism detection tools as a self-check before submission
Familiarize yourself with your institution's academic integrity policies
Consult with mentors or colleagues when unsure about proper attribution
Remember that proper citation strengthens your work by showing engagement with existing scholarship

Resources

For guidance on avoiding plagiarism and proper citation:

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE): https://publicationethics.org
Office of Research Integrity (ORI): https://ori.hhs.gov
Chicago Manual of Style: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org

JDSSI is committed to upholding academic integrity and expects all authors to conduct their research and writing with the highest ethical standards. For questions about plagiarism or citation practices, please contact: jdssi@michelangelo-scholar.com