Plagiarism Policy

Open Veterinary Journal (OVJ) upholds the highest standards of academic integrity and considers plagiarism a serious violation of ethical and scholarly norms. To ensure the originality and credibility of published work, OVJ implements a rigorous plagiarism detection and prevention policy.

1. Definition and Forms of Plagiarism

Plagiarism occurs when text, data, ideas, or intellectual property are used without appropriate attribution. OVJ considers the following as forms of plagiarism:

• Direct Plagiarism: Copying text, data, or ideas verbatim from previously published sources without proper citation.

• Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rewriting someone else’s text or ideas without adequate acknowledgment.

• Self-Plagiarism: Reusing one’s own previously published work or data without proper citation or disclosure.

• Translation Plagiarism: Verbatim or near-verbatim translation of previously published material without attribution.

• Unauthorized Use of Intellectual Property: Using figures, tables, images, or other material without permission or proper credit.

2. Detection of Plagiarism

All manuscripts submitted to OVJ are screened for originality using iThenticate. Authors are expected to ensure their work is original and properly referenced prior to submission.

3. Consequences of Plagiarism

OVJ takes instances of plagiarism seriously. Depending on the nature and severity of the offense, consequences may include:

• Immediate rejection of the manuscript at initial submission.

• Return of the manuscript for revision with clear instructions to address the plagiarism.

• Notification to authors’ affiliated institutions or funding bodies in cases of serious or repeated misconduct.

• Temporary or permanent submission bans for offending authors.

• Retraction of published articles if plagiarism is detected post-publication, in accordance with OVJ’s Correction and Retraction Policy.

4. Preventing Plagiarism

Authors are strongly encouraged to:

• Properly cite all sources of information, including text, data, images, and figures.

• Clearly attribute direct quotations and paraphrased content.

• Seek permission when using copyrighted material.

• Avoid self-plagiarism by citing prior work, even if authored by the submitting authors.

• Utilize plagiarism-detection tools prior to submission to ensure originality.

5. Plagiarism in Repository Deposits or Preprints

Authors submitting work that has previously been deposited in repositories, preprint servers, or theses must:

• Provide proper attribution and citation to the original repository.

• Ensure that reused material complies with copyright or repository policies.

• Clearly indicate previously deposited material in the cover letter or submission form to allow transparent editorial evaluation.

• Paraphrase or summarize previously deposited content appropriately while maintaining transparency.

This policy reinforces OVJ’s commitment to research integrity, transparency, and the responsible dissemination of scientific knowledge. Authors, reviewers, and editors share a collective responsibility to uphold these standards.