Plagiarism
Jurnal Pelita Raya (JPR) Editorial Board affirms that plagiarism is unacceptable in any form and, on this basis, has established a formal policy that specifies the procedures and sanctions applied when plagiarism or inappropriate textual similarity is identified in manuscripts submitted for publication. To support consistent, transparent, and evidence-based editorial decision-making, Jurnal Pelita Raya (JPR) applies Turnitin’s originality checking software to both submitted manuscripts and the final versions prepared for publication. The journal permits a maximum similarity index of 20 per cent for submitted papers. Where the similarity index exceeds 20 per cent, the manuscript will be returned to the author for revision, correction, and subsequent resubmission, with the expectation that the author will address the sources of overlap through appropriate citation, accurate quotation practices, and substantive rewriting where required.
For this policy, plagiarism is defined as the use, or close imitation, of another author’s language and ideas, coupled with the misrepresentation of that material as one’s own original work. This definition encompasses both the unauthorised reproduction of textual expression and the unacknowledged appropriation of intellectual content, including arguments, interpretations, conceptual frameworks, and research outputs. Plagiarism therefore extends beyond verbatim copying and includes any practice that obscures the provenance of scholarly material or misleads readers regarding the originality of the author’s contribution.
In accordance with these principles, Jurnal Pelita Raya (JPR) requires that all submissions be original works that have not been previously published and are not currently under consideration for publication elsewhere. This requirement protects the integrity of the scholarly record, ensures that editorial and peer review resources are applied to genuine original submissions, and prevents conflicts associated with duplicate or simultaneous submission. Authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts meet these conditions at the point of submission and throughout the editorial process.
Where authors incorporate material from existing sources, the journal requires that any verbatim text be clearly distinguished from the author’s original writing through established academic conventions. Specifically, verbatim material must be marked through appropriate formatting, such as indentation where relevant, the use of quotation marks for shorter extracts, and clear identification of the source through complete and accurate citation. These requirements serve to maintain transparency, allow readers to verify the relationship between claims and supporting literature, and ensure that credit is appropriately attributed to the original author or source.
The policy further states that reproduction of textual material exceeding fair use standards, defined for these purposes as more than two or three sentences or the equivalent, requires permission from the copyright holder and, where feasible, from the original author or authors. The same requirement applies to the reproduction of graphic or illustrative material derived from another source. In all such cases, authors must provide explicit identification of the source and, where applicable, details of previous publication. This requirement reflects the principle that appropriate citation is necessary for ethical scholarship but may not be sufficient where copyright protections apply, and that authors bear responsibility for ensuring lawful and properly authorised reuse of protected content.
When plagiarism is suspected or identified, the Editor-in-Chief responsible for the review of the manuscript will determine the appropriate course of action in accordance with the extent and severity of plagiarism detected, applying the journal’s graduated framework of sanctions. The policy distinguishes among minor, intermediate, and severe plagiarism to ensure proportionality and consistency in editorial responses.
Minor plagiarism is characterised by the unauthorised use of a small sentence or short paragraph from another manuscript where no substantial data, ideas, or interpretive contributions are taken from other publications. In cases categorised as minor plagiarism, the journal will issue a formal warning and require the authors to revise the manuscript. Revisions must include proper citation to the sources, appropriate marking of any quoted material, and rewriting that demonstrates the author’s own scholarly articulation.
Intermediate plagiarism is identified where significant data, a paragraph, or a sentence is taken from another source without proper citation or acknowledgement. Because this level of misconduct involves a more substantial appropriation that may materially affect the manuscript’s scholarly contribution and credibility, the journal’s prescribed sanction is automatic rejection of the submission.
Severe plagiarism involves extensive copying of another work and may include the reproduction of original results, data, formulations, equations, laws, statements, ideas, or methods presented in other publications. This category represents a serious breach of academic ethics because it entails systematic misappropriation and may significantly mislead editors, reviewers, and readers concerning the originality and authorship of the work. In cases of severe plagiarism, the manuscript is automatically rejected, and the authors are prohibited from submitting further manuscripts to Jurnal Pelita Raya (JPR).
Through this policy, Jurnal Pelita Raya (JPR) establishes clear expectations regarding originality, attribution, and responsible reuse of scholarly materials, while also providing a structured approach to the detection and management of textual similarity. The combination of similarity screening via Turnitin, a defined similarity threshold, explicit requirements for quotation and permissions, and a tiered sanctions framework reflects the journal’s commitment to safeguarding editorial standards and maintaining the credibility of its published outputs.
