Plagiarism Policy

The Journal of Contemporary Islamic Law and Studies (JCILS) upholds strict standards of academic integrity and is committed to preventing plagiarism in all forms.

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Copying text, ideas, or data without proper citation
  • Self-plagiarism (reusing one’s own previously published work without acknowledgment)
  • Improper paraphrasing or mosaic plagiarism
  • Submitting work produced by others as one’s own

2. Plagiarism Screening

All submitted manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software before being sent for peer review.

Manuscripts must meet the following criteria:

  • Similarity index should generally be below 20%
  • No single source should exceed 5% similarity

Manuscripts exceeding these limits may be:

  • Returned to authors for revision, or
  • Rejected outright, depending on the severity

3. Policy During Review Process

If plagiarism is detected during the peer-review process:

  • The manuscript will be rejected immediately
  • Authors may be banned from future submissions
  • Institutions may be notified in serious cases

4. Policy After Publication

If plagiarism is discovered after publication:

  • The article will be retracted
  • A retraction notice will be issued
  • The article will remain accessible but clearly marked as retracted

5. Author Responsibility

Authors are fully responsible for ensuring that:

  • All sources are properly cited
  • Quotations are clearly indicated
  • Permissions are obtained where necessary

6. Editorial Responsibility

Editors will:

  • Ensure all submissions are screened for plagiarism
  • Maintain confidentiality during the review process
  • Act in accordance with ethical publishing standards

7. Ethical Compliance

JCILS follows international standards of publication ethics and takes all cases of plagiarism seriously to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.