Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy

Agricultural Science Horizons (ASH), published by the Gondars Institute of Research and Skill Development (GIRSD), is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, originality, and ethical scholarly publishing. The journal strictly prohibits plagiarism, duplicate publication, self-plagiarism, data misappropriation, and any form of unethical appropriation of intellectual property.

The journal recognizes originality as a fundamental requirement of scientific research and expects all submitted manuscripts to represent authentic and previously unpublished work.

This policy is implemented in accordance with international publication ethics standards, including recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), transparency principles adopted by reputable scholarly publishers, and plagiarism guidelines established by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers to presenting another person's words, ideas, data, figures, tables, methodologies, images, software, or intellectual contributions as one's own without appropriate acknowledgement or citation.

Plagiarism may occur intentionally or unintentionally and is considered a serious violation of academic ethics.

Examples include direct copying, paraphrasing without attribution, mosaic plagiarism, self-plagiarism, duplicate publication, source concealment, translation plagiarism, and unauthorized reuse of previously published materials.

2. Originality Requirements

All submitted manuscripts must be original, unpublished, and not simultaneously under consideration by another journal, publisher, conference proceeding, or publication platform.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all borrowed materials are appropriately cited and referenced according to the journal's requirements.

3. Similarity Screening Procedures

Every manuscript submitted to Agricultural Science Horizons undergoes plagiarism screening before entering the peer-review process.

The journal utilizes Turnitin or equivalent similarity detection software to evaluate textual overlap and identify potential ethical concerns.

In accordance with the plagiarism guidelines of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), manuscripts should generally demonstrate an overall similarity index of less than 18%.

However, the editorial office does not rely solely on numerical percentages. Each similarity report is manually evaluated because legitimate overlaps may occur in references, standard methodologies, institutional names, technical terminology, and legally reusable content.

4. Acceptable and Unacceptable Similarity

A low similarity percentage does not automatically guarantee originality, and a higher percentage does not automatically constitute plagiarism.

Editorial decisions are based on the nature, location, and extent of overlapping material.

Excessive unattributed overlap, copied interpretations, duplicated figures, or extensive reproduction of published text may result in rejection regardless of the overall similarity percentage.

5. Artificial Intelligence Screening

Agricultural Science Horizons may use artificial intelligence detection and content analysis tools as supplementary screening mechanisms during editorial assessment.

The journal expects manuscripts to primarily reflect human intellectual contributions, scientific reasoning, and author accountability.

Manuscripts showing an artificial intelligence similarity or probability score exceeding 20% may be subject to additional editorial evaluation, revision requests, clarification requirements, or further investigation.

Artificial intelligence detection results are not considered definitive evidence and are always interpreted in conjunction with human editorial judgment.

6. Author Responsibilities Regarding Artificial Intelligence

Authors remain fully responsible for all submitted content, including any material generated, assisted, edited, or translated using artificial intelligence tools.

Artificial intelligence systems cannot be listed as authors.

Authors must verify the accuracy, originality, citations, and factual correctness of all AI-assisted content prior to submission.

The use of artificial intelligence to fabricate data, create fictitious references, manipulate images, generate false results, or misrepresent research findings is strictly prohibited.

7. Editorial Actions for Plagiarism Cases

When potential plagiarism is identified, the editorial office may request explanations, additional documentation, manuscript revisions, or source clarification from the authors.

Depending on the severity of the issue, the journal may reject manuscripts, suspend editorial processing, notify affiliated institutions, issue corrections, publish retractions, or impose temporary or permanent submission restrictions.

8. Post-Publication Discovery of Plagiarism

If plagiarism is discovered after publication, the journal will investigate the matter in accordance with established ethical procedures.

Appropriate corrective actions may include corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, or institutional notifications depending on the severity of the violation.

9. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for submitting original work, obtaining permissions for reused materials, properly citing all sources, and complying with ethical publication standards.

Submission to Agricultural Science Horizons constitutes an acknowledgment that the authors accept and agree to comply with this plagiarism policy.

10. Policy Review and Ethical Compliance

This policy may be periodically reviewed and updated to align with evolving ethical standards, technological advancements, and international best practices in scholarly publishing.

Agricultural Science Horizons and GIRSD remain committed to protecting academic integrity, preserving the authenticity of scientific research, and maintaining trust in the scholarly record.

11. Official Plagiarism Statement

All manuscripts submitted to Agricultural Science Horizons undergo Turnitin similarity screening. Manuscripts are expected to maintain an overall similarity index below 18% in accordance with HEC guidelines. Artificial intelligence screening may also be conducted, and manuscripts exceeding 20% AI-generated content indicators may require additional editorial assessment and clarification.