BARAKATI: Journal of Community Service

BARAKATI is committed to originality, academic integrity, responsible attribution, and ethical scholarly publishing. All authors are required to ensure that their manuscripts are original and properly acknowledge the intellectual contributions of others.

Policy at a Glance

Note: The similarity index is an initial screening indicator. Editorial assessment considers the nature, extent, context, and attribution of the overlapping material.

1. Purpose and Scope

The Editorial Board of BARAKATI: Journal of Community Service does not accept plagiarism or other forms of unattributed appropriation of intellectual work. This policy establishes the procedures and potential sanctions applicable when plagiarism is identified in a manuscript submitted to or published in the journal.

The policy applies to all authors and co-authors and covers text, ideas, data, figures, tables, images, and other materials derived from previously published or unpublished sources, including material previously produced or published by the authors themselves.

2. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism occurs when a person uses or closely imitates another person's language, ideas, arguments, data, findings, or other intellectual contributions and presents them without appropriate acknowledgment as their own original work.

Plagiarism may involve direct copying, inadequate paraphrasing, the unattributed use of ideas or results, reproduction of figures or tables without appropriate acknowledgment or permission where required, and the reuse of previously published material without transparent disclosure and proper attribution.

3. Originality and Citation Requirements

Submitted manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Authors must acknowledge all sources accurately and transparently.

• Verbatim quotations must be clearly distinguished from the author's own writing, using quotation marks or block quotations as appropriate, and accompanied by an accurate citation.
• Ideas, findings, data, and arguments derived from other sources must be appropriately cited, even when paraphrased.
• Reproduced figures, tables, photographs, and other copyrighted materials must be attributed and accompanied by permission from the relevant rights holder where required.
• Authors must not present another person's work, research results, or intellectual contributions as their own.
• Authors are responsible for checking the originality and proper attribution of the entire manuscript, including material contributed by co-authors.

4. Plagiarism Screening and Similarity Threshold

All submitted manuscripts are subject to an initial plagiarism screening conducted by the editor using Turnitin or the journal's designated similarity-checking system. The screening is conducted after manuscript submission and before the manuscript proceeds further in the editorial process.

The similarity score is not, by itself, a definitive determination of plagiarism. Editors assess the similarity report in context, including the source and location of overlapping text, the adequacy of citations, quoted material, references, standard methodological expressions, and any evidence of unattributed copying. A manuscript may be rejected for plagiarism even when its overall similarity score is below 25% if substantial unattributed material or other serious misconduct is identified.

5. Levels of Plagiarism and Editorial Actions

When potential plagiarism is identified, the Editor-in-Chief and relevant editorial team members assess the evidence and determine an appropriate response based on the seriousness, extent, context, and intent of the suspected violation. The following categories guide editorial action.

These categories are guidelines rather than automatic determinations based solely on a similarity percentage. The Editorial Board may consider the specific circumstances and seriousness of each case when deciding the appropriate action.

6. Self-Plagiarism and Redundant Publication

Self-plagiarism occurs when authors reuse their previously published text, data, figures, or other material without adequate citation, disclosure, or permission where required. Authors must distinguish new contributions from material that has already appeared in another publication.

For editorial assessment, BARAKATI applies the following guidance:

• Overlap involving one-half or more of a manuscript: Substantial or near-identical overlap, including identical or slightly modified figures and text, may be treated as severe plagiarism, particularly where the overlap involves duplicate publication or undisclosed reuse of the principal findings.
• Overlap exceeding one-tenth but less than one-half of a manuscript: Such overlap may be treated as intermediate plagiarism, depending on its nature, location, attribution, and significance.
• Overlap confined to the methods section: Limited reuse of standard methodological descriptions may be assessed as a minor case when appropriate, taking account of the extent of overlap and whether the previous source has been acknowledged.

These proportions are indicators for editorial assessment, not substitutes for examining the context and significance of the reused material. Any undisclosed redundant publication, duplicate submission, or substantial appropriation of previously published findings may result in rejection and further sanctions.

7. Reuse of Previously Published Material

Authors who reuse their own previously published text, figures, tables, or other materials must identify the original publication, provide appropriate citations, explain the relationship between the previous and current work, and obtain permission from the copyright holder where required. The manuscript must make a clear and meaningful contribution beyond any previously published work.

Manuscripts derived from conference proceedings must disclose the name of the conference, the publication details, and the extent of any previous dissemination. Authors must obtain the necessary permissions and explain the additional contribution of the journal submission. Acceptance is subject to editorial evaluation.

The use of material from an unpublished presentation may be acceptable, provided that the material is the author's own work or is used with appropriate authorization and that the manuscript meets the journal's originality and ethical requirements.

Submissions involving translations of previously published articles must disclose the original title, publication date, journal, and relevant publication details. Permission from the appropriate copyright holder must be obtained where required. Translated or republished material will only be considered where the editor determines that republication is justified, transparent, and consistent with applicable copyright and publication ethics requirements.

8. Duplicate and Simultaneous Submissions

Authors must not submit the same manuscript, or substantially overlapping versions of the same work, to BARAKATI and another journal simultaneously. If substantial overlap or duplicate publication is identified during peer review or after publication, the Editorial Board may contact the other journal's editor, investigate the circumstances, reject the manuscript, and apply the sanctions appropriate to the seriousness of the case.

9. Responsibility of Authors and Co-Authors

All listed authors and co-authors share responsibility for ensuring the integrity and originality of a submitted manuscript. Each author is expected to review the manuscript, verify appropriate attribution, disclose relevant prior publications, and approve the final version before submission.

Where plagiarism is established, editorial sanctions may apply to all authors associated with the manuscript, subject to an assessment of their roles, knowledge, and applicable circumstances. Submission of a manuscript constitutes acknowledgment of the journal's publication ethics requirements, including this Plagiarism Policy.

10. Repeated Plagiarism and Additional Sanctions

If a second case of plagiarism involving the same author or authors is established, the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board will review the previous and current cases and determine the appropriate additional measures. Depending on the seriousness and recurrence of the misconduct, these measures may include a permanent prohibition on future submissions to BARAKATI.

11. Handling Suspected Plagiarism

12. Records of Sanctions

The journal maintains internal records of authors subject to submission restrictions or other sanctions under this policy. Before processing a new submission, authorized editorial personnel may check these records and refer potential matches to the Editor-in-Chief for verification and appropriate action. Personal information and case records will be handled with due regard for confidentiality and applicable requirements.

13. Policy Acknowledgment

This policy is made available on the journal website and is intended to be read by all authors before submitting a manuscript. By submitting a manuscript to BARAKATI: Journal of Community Service, authors acknowledge their responsibility to comply with the journal's originality, citation, copyright, and publication ethics requirements.

Commitment to Academic Integrity

BARAKATI: Journal of Community Service is committed to promoting original scholarship, responsible attribution, and ethical publication practices. Authors, reviewers, and editors share responsibility for protecting the integrity and credibility of the scholarly record.