Plagiarism Policy

Advances in BioScience (ISSN 2583-0058) is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing practices. Plagiarism—including unauthorized copying, inadequate attribution, and the inappropriate use of artificial intelligence tools to generate unacknowledged content—constitutes a serious violation of these principles and undermines the credibility of scientific research. To ensure that all submitted work is original and properly attributed, the journal enforces a comprehensive plagiarism policy that addresses both traditional forms of plagiarism and emerging challenges posed by AI-generated content. This policy includes clear detection procedures, transparent evaluation criteria, and defined consequences for violations.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person's work, ideas, or words as one’s own without appropriate attribution. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Direct Plagiarism: Copying verbatim text, figures, tables, equations, or data from another source without quotation marks (for text) and appropriate, explicit citation.
  • Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Restating another's work or ideas in one's own words without proper acknowledgment, even if the wording is significantly altered.
  • Self-Plagiarism: The reuse of substantial portions of one's own previously published work (text, data, or figures) without proper citation and disclosure, or presenting it as new, original research.
  • AI-Assisted Plagiarism: AI-Assisted Plagiarism / Misconduct refers to the unethical, improper, or undisclosed use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools—such as large language models, generative AI tools (e.g., text or image generators), or paraphrasing software—to create, rephrase, or significantly alter content (including text, figures, or data) that is then submitted as original human-authored work without proper disclosure or attribution, thereby misrepresenting the work’s originality or authorship. This includes, but is not limited to:
    • Submitting material predominantly created by AI tools (e.g., large language models or generative AI) without explicit disclosure of AI tool usage.
    • Using AI tools to paraphrase or rephrase existing scholarly work in a way that disguises the original source or attempts to evade plagiarism detection, without proper citation of the original source.
    • Generating or manipulating data, figures, or images using AI tools and presenting them as original or experimentally derived, without transparent disclosure of the AI's role and the underlying data sources.

Plagiarism Detection Methods

To uphold academic integrity, all submitted manuscripts undergo a thorough plagiarism screening process that includes both traditional and AI-specific methods. Traditional plagiarism detection involves the use of advanced software tools that compare submitted manuscripts against vast databases of published literature, online content, and previously submitted works to identify instances of copied or improperly cited material. In addition, with the growing use of artificial intelligence in content creation, the journal employs AI-specific detection techniques that analyze writing patterns, statistical anomalies, and stylistic inconsistencies to identify content that may have been generated or manipulated by AI tools without appropriate disclosure.

Editorial Actions

If plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct—including unethical use of AI tools—are detected at any stage of the publication process (submission, peer review, editorial processing) or after publication, the editorial team will take appropriate actions in strict accordance with the guidelines set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These actions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Minor Plagiarism/Unintentional Misconduct in Submitted Manuscripts: In cases where plagiarism is identified by the editorial office or peer reviewers and is deemed minor or clearly unintentional (e.g., insufficient or incorrectly formatted in-text citation for a small section, or missing quotation marks for a short direct quote where the source is otherwise properly listed in the bibliography), authors will generally be given an opportunity to revise their manuscript. This revision must include proper attribution of the original sources. Failure to adequately address the identified issues within the specified timeframe may lead to rejection.
  • Significant Plagiarism in Submitted Manuscripts: Manuscripts found to contain significant instances of plagiarism (e.g., substantial unacknowledged text, entire sections of paraphrased content without proper citation, fabricated or copied data/figures, or appropriation of core ideas without attribution) will be rejected outright.
  • Improper AI Use in Submitted Manuscripts: Manuscripts in which undisclosed/inappropriate use of AI tools is detected—or where AI-generated content (e.g., fabricated references, misleading data, or AI-generated text presented as original research findings) significantly compromises the integrity or originality of the work—will be rejected outright.
  • Plagiarism in Published Articles: If plagiarism or significant undisclosed/improper use of AI is identified in an article after publication, the journal will initiate a formal retraction process. The article will be promptly removed from the journal's website, and a formal retraction notice, clearly stating the reason, will be issued and prominently linked to the original article. In addition, the authors’ institution(s) and relevant authorities may be formally notified.

Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting manuscripts to Advances in BioScience are responsible for ensuring the originality, accuracy, and integrity of their work. Specifically, they must ensure adherence to the following:

  • Originality: The submitted work must be original and not previously published, in whole or in part, in any language. If any portion of the work has been published elsewhere (e.g., as a conference paper or preprint), it must be clearly indicated and properly cited.
  • Proper Attribution: All sources—including previously published work (even the authors’ own), data, figures, images, and ideas—must be properly attributed through accurate and complete citations. Where necessary, explicit permissions must be obtained and acknowledged.
  • AI Disclosure: Authors must explicitly disclose the use of generative AI technologies (e.g., Large Language Models, AI image generators) in the "Methods" section, "Acknowledgements" section, or a dedicated "Declaration of AI Use" statement, as appropriate to the nature and extent of its use. The disclosure should specify the purpose of use (e.g., drafting, translation, data analysis, image generation, grammar checking) and the specific tools used. Authors remain fully accountable for the accuracy, validity, and originality of all content, including material generated or modified by AI. They must diligently review and verify any AI-generated outputs for factual correctness, absence of 'hallucinations,' and ethical implications. AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors, as they cannot meet authorship criteria (e.g., ICMJE), including the ability to take responsibility for the work.
  • Data Integrity: Authors must ensure that all data presented are original and accurately reported. Any re-use of previously published data must be clearly cited.
  • Conflicts of Interest: All potential conflicts of interest—financial, personal, or professional—that could be perceived to influence the research or its publication must be fully disclosed.
  • Copyright Permissions: Authors must obtain all necessary permissions to reproduce copyrighted materials from other sources and provide appropriate acknowledgements in the manuscript.

Ethical Considerations

Advances in BioScience strictly adheres to the ethical guidelines and best practices recommended by reputable international bodies, including the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). All individuals involved in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, editorial staff, and readers/users of the journal platform—are expected to uphold these standards with integrity and professionalism.

Appeals and Complaints

Authors who disagree with an editorial decision regarding plagiarism or AI misconduct in their manuscript may appeal the decision by providing detailed evidence and a reasoned argument to support their claim. Similarly, authors, reviewers, or readers who suspect instances of plagiarism, academic misconduct, data fabrication, or improper use of AI tools in any work published or submitted to Advances in BioScience are strongly encouraged to contact the Editorial Office with relevant details and supporting evidence for investigation. All reports will be treated with the utmost confidentiality, and appropriate action will be taken following a thorough and impartial investigation.

This Plagiarism and AI Policy is effective immediately and applies to all current and future submissions. It is subject to periodic review and may be updated or amended as necessary to reflect evolving best practices, technological advancements (e.g., in AI), and ethical standards in scholarly publishing.

For inquiries or to report suspected instances of plagiarism, improper AI use, or academic misconduct, please contact the Editorial Office at editor[at]sospublication[dot]co[dot]in.