Plagiarism Policy

Nesir: Journal of Literary Studies defines plagiarism as a serious misconduct that violates academic integrity and publication ethics. This policy has been developed in line with the principles recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Definition and Scope

Plagiarism is the partial or complete use of another work, in whole or in part, without appropriate attribution or in a misleading manner. Within this scope, plagiarism includes (but is not limited to) the following situations:

  • Verbatim Copying: Reproducing the text of another source without changes and without proper citation.
  • Paraphrasing without Attribution: Rephrasing the content of another source while preserving its meaning but failing to acknowledge the source.
  • Redundant/Duplicate Publication: Presenting previously published work as if it were new (especially when substantial portions of data or arguments are repeated).
  • Misleading or Incomplete Citation: Omitting or inaccurately citing a source in a way that could mislead readers.
  • Partial Plagiarism: Incorporating one or more sections of another work into one’s own work without proper acknowledgment.

This policy applies to all stages of submission, pre-review editorial assessment, peer review, revision, acceptance, and publication processes.

Author Declaration and Control Process

  • All authors must declare that their submission is free of plagiarism and has been prepared in compliance with ethical standards.
  • All authors are required to upload a similarity report generated from the final version of their manuscript in PDF format.
  • The preferred plagiarism detection tools are iThenticate and Turnitin.
  • The similarity report must display all matched sources in detail and must be generated from the final version of the manuscript.
  • The report is reviewed jointly by the responsible editor and the editorial board.
  • The generally acceptable similarity rate is 15%. This figure reflects the net similarity rate after excluding references, footnotes, bibliographies, and standard methodological expressions.

Thresholds and Procedures

  • 0–15%: Proceeds to editorial evaluation.
  • 15–25%: Returned to the author with a request for revision at the editor’s discretion. Authors are expected to revise their manuscript comprehensively and submit a new similarity report.
  • Above 25%: The submission is removed from editorial processing and rejected with a detailed explanation.

Before final acceptance, the revised manuscript is subjected to a new plagiarism screening.

Post-Publication Plagiarism Allegations

Post-publication allegations of plagiarism are handled rigorously in accordance with COPE guidelines:

  • The editor receiving the allegation reviews the published issue and examines the sections in question.
  • If necessary, the editor may request a written explanation from the author(s).
  • If compelling evidence is presented, the article is temporarily withdrawn from the journal’s website and visibility is restricted until the investigation is complete.
  • If plagiarism is confirmed, the article is formally retracted and a retraction notice is published.
  • The author’s institution is informed.

Best Practice Principles

  • All sources used in the manuscript must be cited fully and accurately.
  • Authors are responsible for reviewing similarity reports carefully and identifying standard formulas, definitions, and methodological phrases.
  • Reviewers must notify the editor if they suspect plagiarism in the course of their review.
  • The Editorial Board adheres to COPE guidance and international best practice standards in all plagiarism matters.