The Journal of Oral and Molecular Translational Medicine (JOMTM) maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism and all forms of academic misconduct. As part of its commitment to scientific integrity, editorial transparency, and publication ethics, all submitted manuscripts are screened for originality prior to peer review using validated plagiarism detection software, in accordance with the journal’s ethical framework aligned with Committee on Publication Ethics and International Committee of Medical Journal Editors standards.
Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
- Verbatim copying of text, data, images, or ideas from other published or unpublished sources without proper attribution;
- Mosaic plagiarism (patchwriting or paraphrasing without citation);
- Self-plagiarism, including duplicate publication or redundant reuse of substantial portions of previously published work without disclosure;
- Unauthorized reuse of figures, tables, or graphical materials without permission where required;
- Misappropriation of unpublished data, reviewer comments, or confidential research material.
Similarity Screening
All manuscripts submitted to JOMTM undergo plagiarism screening before editorial assessment. Similarity reports are evaluated by the editorial office, and similarity percentages are interpreted contextually rather than mechanically. Acceptable overlap may include:
- Properly quoted and cited references;
- Standard methodology descriptions;
- Legitimate reuse of author-approved preprint material where disclosed.
A high similarity score alone does not automatically constitute misconduct; however, unexplained or excessive overlap may trigger investigation.
Editorial Actions in Cases of Suspected Plagiarism
If plagiarism is detected at any stage, the journal may take one or more of the following actions:
- Request clarification or revision from the authors;
- Reject the manuscript immediately prior to peer review;
- Reject the manuscript after review if misconduct is confirmed;
- Retract a published article where plagiarism is identified post-publication;
- Notify the corresponding author’s institution, funding body, or relevant ethics committee in serious cases.
Author Responsibilities
Authors submitting to JOMTM must ensure that:
- Their work is original and properly cited;
- All sources are acknowledged accurately;
- Reused text or previously published material is clearly disclosed;
- Manuscripts are not under concurrent review elsewhere;
- Any overlap with prior publications is transparently declared at submission.
Post-Publication Misconduct
If plagiarism is discovered after publication, JOMTM will investigate in accordance with COPE retraction guidelines. Confirmed cases may result in:
- Formal correction notices;
- Expressions of concern;
- Full article retraction with public notice linked to the original publication.
JOMTM reserves the right to act decisively to protect the integrity of the scientific record and uphold the highest standards of ethical scholarly publishing.