Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy & Manuscript Screening

The Editorial Board of Pijar Journal of Communication and Digital Media (PJCDM) upholds the strict principles of academic integrity and does not tolerate any form of intellectual dishonesty, including plagiarism. We implement a rigorous and transparent policy to ensure that every published manuscript is an original work that makes a tangible contribution to the literature of communication studies and digital media.

 

  1. Detection and Thresholds

To guarantee manuscript authenticity, PJCDM utilizes Turnitin software as the standard similarity check tool.

  • Threshold: The maximum allowable similarity index tolerance is 20%.
  • Initial Action: Manuscripts with a similarity index above 20% will either be returned to the authors for revision (if the excess percentage is due to technical reasons or standard legal text/media policy citations) or immediately rejected (Desk Reject) if heavy plagiarism is indicated before proceeding to the review stage.

 

  1. Definition of Plagiarism

In our journal's ecosystem, plagiarism is defined as the act of taking the ideas, research data, analytical frameworks, empirical findings, or writings of others (including one's own previously published work) and claiming them as new work without providing appropriate attribution or citation. This includes:

  • Verbatim: Copying text word-for-word or replicating media texts/transcripts without using quotation marks ("...") and without citing the original source.
  • Paraphrasing: Altering someone else's sentence structures or modifying media narratives without changing the core idea or critical arguments, and failing to include the reference source.
  • Self-Plagiarism: Reusing a significant portion of one's own previously published scholarly work or media commentary without clear cross-referencing.

 

  1. Classification of Misconduct and Sanctions

If plagiarism is suspected, the Editor-in-Chief holds full authority to investigate and impose sanctions based on the severity of the misconduct, classified into three main categories:

  • Minor Infraction: Involves technical similarity exceeding 20% (such as in the reference list, standard communication/media terminology, or quotes from cyber law regulations) without the intent to steal data or ideas. The sanction is corrective, resulting in a Warning and Revision, requiring the authors to re-paraphrase and fix citations within a designated timeframe.
  • Moderate Infraction: Occurs when a substantial portion of the manuscript shows similarity without proper attribution, unauthorized use of another researcher's analytical tools/media data, or significant self-plagiarism. The firm action taken is Manuscript Rejection and a 1-Year Embargo from submitting any new manuscripts to this journal.
  • Severe Infraction: The most serious category involving the theft of core ideas/theoretical frameworks, fabrication of experimental/interview data, copying another person's entire critical media analysis (duplication), or simultaneous double submission. The sanctions are Manuscript Rejection and a 5-Year to Permanent Embargo, subject to the Editorial Board's final decision. This embargo applies collectively to all listed authors.

 

  1. Repeat Offenses (Recidivism)

If an author is found committing plagiarism for a second time in PJCDM:

  • The decision will be determined through a special meeting of the Editorial Board.
  • The penalty applied is a Permanent Ban; the author will be blacklisted and prohibited from submitting manuscripts to this journal indefinitely.

 

  1. Self-Plagiarism and Redundant Publication
  • Self-Plagiarism: Authors are permitted to cite their own published work (e.g., expanding on a previous communication pilot study), but must include a clear citation to prevent presenting it as a completely new finding.
  • Conference Articles (Proceedings): Manuscripts developed from communication studies or media conference proceedings are acceptable ONLY IF there is a substantial expansion (at least 30-50% new content, new survey/interview data, or deep critical analytical enhancement), a completely different title, and a direct citation to the original proceeding. Authors must declare this upon submission.
  • Simultaneous Submission: Submitting the same media/communication manuscript to PJCDM and another journal concurrently is a severe ethical breach. If proven, the manuscript will be withdrawn, and official notifications will be sent to the other involved journal.

 

  1. Oversight Mechanism

The Managing Editor is responsible for maintaining the database of sanctioned authors. Every new submission will be verified against this database. This policy is openly published on the journal's website and is deemed understood and agreed upon by the authors at the time of manuscript submission.