The Healthcare Quality Professionals Journal (HQPJ) is committed to maintaining originality, academic integrity, responsible citation, and ethical scholarly communication. Plagiarism in any form is inconsistent with the standards expected from authors submitting manuscripts to the journal.
Authors are responsible for ensuring that submitted manuscripts appropriately acknowledge the words, ideas, data, methods, figures, tables, interpretations, and other intellectual contributions of previous researchers. Manuscripts may be assessed for textual overlap and other originality concerns during the editorial process, and any identified similarity is evaluated in its scholarly context rather than solely by a numerical similarity score.
What Is Plagiarism & Its Various Forms
Plagiarism occurs when an individual presents another person’s words, ideas, data, research design, analysis, figures, tables, images, arguments, interpretations, or other intellectual contribution as their own without appropriate acknowledgment.
Direct Plagiarism
Copying words, sentences, paragraphs, or substantial portions of another source without quotation or attribution.
Unattributed Paraphrasing
Rewriting another author’s ideas or arguments in different words without citing the original source.
Idea & Concept Plagiarism
Presenting another researcher’s original concept, hypothesis, methodology, or contribution without proper credit.
Data & Result Plagiarism
Using datasets, survey findings, statistical results, or clinical outcomes created by others without authorization.
Figure / Image Plagiarism
Reusing charts, illustrations, medical images, or visual material without attribution or required permission.
Source Misrepresentation
Citing a source in a misleading way, attributing unsupportive sources, or concealing true origins of material.
Self-Plagiarism & Duplicate Publication
Self-Plagiarism & Text Reuse
Authors should avoid presenting substantial portions of their own previously published material as new work. Limited reuse of standard methodological descriptions may occur, but prior work must be properly cited.
Duplicate & Redundant Submission
Substantially the same scholarly work must not be published more than once. Conference papers, reports, preprints, or overlapping manuscripts must be disclosed transparently upon submission.
Similarity & Originality Assessment
Manuscripts may be reviewed using similarity-detection tools. However, a similarity percentage alone does not determine whether a manuscript is acceptable or unacceptable:
HQPJ evaluates plagiarism based on the nature and scholarly significance of the material identified. Significant unattributed copying may be unacceptable even when an overall similarity score appears low. Conversely, legitimate citations, references, standardized terminology, or correctly attributed material may contribute to a similarity report without constituting plagiarism.
Proper Citation & Attribution Guidelines
Citation Standards
- Direct Quotations: Verbatim text must be clearly enclosed in quotation marks and cited.
- Paraphrased Ideas: Rephrased material requires acknowledgment of the original intellectual source.
- Data & Figures: Third-party datasets, statistics, tables, and visual materials must identify sources.
Healthcare & Confidential Material
- Institutional Material: Clinical protocols, guidelines, and standards must be acknowledged clearly.
- Unpublished Material: Info obtained from peer review, collaborations, or private communication requires permission.
- Generative AI Use: Authors must ensure AI tools do not reproduce copyrighted material or fabricate citations.
Handling a Plagiarism Concern
Initial Assessment
Review the suspected overlap and compare with relevant original source material.
Contextual Evaluation
Evaluate the nature, extent, attribution, originality, and scholarly significance of overlap.
Author Clarification
Contact authors to explain identified material or provide supporting documentation.
Editorial Decision
Determine appropriate action based on the severity and impact on publication integrity.
Possible Editorial Actions
| Action Type | Description & Procedure |
|---|---|
| Minor Correction | Authors are asked to improve citations, quotation, attribution, or wording where the concern is limited and correctable. |
| Major Revision | Substantial revision required when overlap is significant but the manuscript can potentially be corrected without compromising originality. |
| Rejection | A manuscript is rejected when plagiarism or inappropriate text reuse substantially undermines originality or publication integrity. |
| Post-Publication Action | If serious plagiarism is identified post-publication, an official correction, expression of concern, or retraction notice will be issued. |
Responsibilities of Reviewers & Editors
Reviewers
Communicate substantial similarity concerns confidentially to editors. Identify relevant original sources where possible and never use confidential manuscript content for personal or research advantage.
Editors
Evaluate concerns objectively and in context. Avoid decisions based solely on automated similarity scores. Provide authors an opportunity to clarify where appropriate to protect scholarly integrity.
Originality Checklist for Authors
Manuscripts submitted to Healthcare Quality Professionals Journal (HQPJ) may be evaluated for originality and textual overlap. Similarity reports, where used, support editorial assessment but do not replace scholarly judgment. Identified overlap is evaluated according to its nature, attribution, context, and impact on originality. Significant plagiarism, data misappropriation, inappropriate text reuse, or other serious originality concerns may result in revision, rejection, correction, retraction, or other appropriate editorial action.