PLAGIARSM POLICY

PLAGIARISM POLICY

MADIA: jurnal Humas dan Media Kontemporer is committed to maintaining academic integrity, originality of scholarly work, and the quality of its publications. All submitted manuscripts must be original works of the authors and must be free from plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, and other forms of academic misconduct. To ensure the originality and integrity of published articles, all manuscripts undergo a similarity screening process before entering the peer-review stage. This policy is developed in accordance with the ethical standards and best practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of using another person's ideas, data, research findings, figures, tables, text, or other intellectual works without proper acknowledgment, attribution, or citation. Plagiarism may occur intentionally or unintentionally and constitutes a serious violation of academic and publication ethics.

2. Types of Plagiarism

MADIA recognizes the following forms of plagiarism:

  • Full Plagiarism: Copying an entire work or a substantial portion of another person's work and presenting it as one's own.
  • Partial Plagiarism: Copying or combining sections from multiple sources without proper attribution.
  • Improper Paraphrasing: Rewriting text from another source with minor modifications without appropriate citation.
  • Self-Plagiarism: Reusing previously published work without proper disclosure and citation.
  • Duplicate Submission: Submitting the same or substantially similar manuscript simultaneously to more than one journal.
  • Citation Manipulation: Including irrelevant citations solely to increase citation counts of specific authors, journals, or publications.

3. Similarity Screening

All manuscripts submitted to MADIA are screened using plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin, iThenticate, or equivalent similarity-checking tools before proceeding to peer review. The purpose of this screening is to identify potential plagiarism, duplicate publication, and inappropriate textual overlap.

As a general guideline:

  • The maximum acceptable overall similarity index is 25%.
  • Similarity from a single source should not exceed 5%, except for properly cited quotations, references, standard methodological descriptions, or commonly used technical terms.
  • The Editorial Team reserves the right to evaluate similarity reports qualitatively and not solely based on numerical percentages.

4. Authors’ Responsibilities

Authors are responsible for:

  • Ensuring that submitted manuscripts are original works.
  • Providing complete and accurate citations for all referenced sources.
  • Using direct quotations and paraphrased materials in accordance with accepted academic standards.
  • Avoiding the reuse of previously published content without appropriate disclosure.
  • Providing a statement of originality if requested by the Editorial Office.

5. Actions for Suspected Plagiarism Before Publication

If plagiarism is suspected during the editorial or peer-review process, the Editorial Team may take one or more of the following actions:

  • Request clarification from the author(s).
  • Require revisions and correction of citations.
  • Return the manuscript for substantial revision before further review.
  • Reject the manuscript in cases of significant plagiarism or ethical misconduct.

The severity of the editorial action will depend on the extent and nature of the plagiarism identified.

6. Actions for Plagiarism After Publication

If plagiarism is discovered after publication, MADIA may take appropriate corrective actions, including:

  • Publishing a correction.
  • Issuing an erratum or corrigendum.
  • Publishing an Expression of Concern.
  • Retracting the published article.
  • Informing the author’s affiliated institution when necessary.

All actions will be taken in accordance with the severity of the violation and internationally accepted publication ethics standards.

7. Responsibilities of Editors and Reviewers

Editors and reviewers play a critical role in identifying potential plagiarism and ethical concerns during manuscript evaluation. When suspected plagiarism is identified, editors will conduct an objective investigation and provide authors with an opportunity to respond before a final decision is made.

8. Commitment to Academic Integrity

MADIA maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism in any form. The journal is committed to preserving the quality and credibility of scholarly publishing through rigorous screening procedures, transparent editorial practices, and consistent enforcement of publication ethics. Through this policy, MADIA seeks to ensure that all published articles provide original, trustworthy, and meaningful contributions to the advancement of communication studies, public relations, media studies, and contemporary communication research.