Plagiarism Policy

Journal of Cyber Law Editorial Board recognizes that plagiarism is unacceptable. This policy outlines specific actions (penalties) taken when plagiarism is identified in an article submitted for publication in Journal of Cyber Law. Plagiarism is defined as "the use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and representing them as one's own original work."

Our Policy

Papers must be original, unpublished, and not pending publication elsewhere. Any material taken verbatim from another source must be clearly identified through (1) indentation, (2) quotation marks, and (3) source identification.

Text exceeding fair use standards (defined here as more than two or three sentences or equivalent) or any graphic material reproduced from another source requires permission from the copyright holder and, if feasible, the original author(s). The source must also be identified.

When Plagiarism is Identified

The Editor-in-Chief will review the paper and decide on measures based on the extent of plagiarism, following these guidelines:

Level of Plagiarism

  • Minor: A short section of another article is plagiarized without significant data or ideas.
    Action: A warning is issued to the authors, with a request to revise the text and properly cite the original source.
  • Intermediate: A significant portion of the paper is plagiarized without proper citation.
    Action: The article is rejected, and the authors are banned from submitting to the journal for one year.
  • Severe: A substantial part of the paper, including original results or ideas, is plagiarized.
    Action: The article is rejected, and the authors are banned from submitting to the journal for five years.

All authors are responsible for the content of their submitted paper, as they must sign the Journal of Cyber Law Copyright Transfer Form. If plagiarism is found, all authors are subject to the same penalty.

If a second instance of plagiarism is identified, the Editorial Board (Editor-in-Chief and members) will determine further actions, which may include a permanent ban on submissions.

Policy on Self-Plagiarism and Reuse

This policy also applies to material reproduced from another publication by the same author(s). If an author reuses text or figures previously published, the relevant sections or figures must be cited, and the previous publication referenced.

In cases of significant overlap with work submitted to or published in another journal, Journal of Cyber Law may treat the case as severe plagiarism. Significant overlap includes use of identical or nearly identical figures and text for more than half of the paper. Self-plagiarism covering less than half but more than one-tenth of the paper is treated as intermediate plagiarism, while overlap confined to the methods section is considered minor plagiarism.

Authors who reuse previously published material to clarify new results must clearly identify the source and explain the difference from the current publication. Permission must be obtained from the copyright holder for any reused content.

Special Cases

  • If a manuscript initially appeared in conference proceedings, authors must identify the conference and date, and obtain permission to republish if submitting it in identical or expanded form.
  • An unpublished presentation, including visual materials, may be used in subsequent journal publications.
  • If a translated version of a previously published article is submitted, authors must identify the original title, date, and journal, and secure copyright permission. The editor may accept such work to reach a broader audience.
  • Occasionally, the editor may select a paper for republication to provide context in a special issue. This will be clearly identified with the original publication date, journal, and permission from the original author(s) and publisher.

Enforcement

The Journal of Cyber Law Layout Editor is responsible for maintaining a list of authors who have faced penalties and ensuring compliance. If a banned author submits a paper, the Layout Editor will notify the Editor-in-Chief, who will take appropriate action.

This policy is available on the journal’s website under submission instructions, and a copy is sent with the confirmation email upon manuscript submission. Authors are required to confirm they have read the Plagiarism Policy by signing the copyright transfer form.