Plagiarism Policy

Surgical Research (SR) maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism in any form, in accordance with Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines on plagiarism, and consistent with the journal's broader Publication Ethics standards.

Definition

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to: presenting another author's ideas, text, data, or images as one's own without appropriate attribution; copying substantial portions of text from a previously published source, with or without minor alterations; and self-plagiarism, where an author reuses significant portions of their own previously published work without proper citation or disclosure, consistent with ICMJE's guidance on overlapping publications.

Screening Process

All manuscripts submitted to SR are screened using iThenticate plagiarism-detection software prior to entering the Peer Review Process. Manuscripts identified with unacceptably high similarity scores, or with evidence of improperly attributed content regardless of overall score, are returned to the author for revision or rejected outright, depending on the severity of the overlap.

Author Responsibility

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all sources of information, data, text, and ideas used in their manuscript are properly cited using an appropriate referencing format, consistent with the journal's Citation Policy. Direct quotations must be clearly indicated and attributed to their original source.

Image Attribution

Where a manuscript includes intraoperative, radiographic, or histopathological images previously published elsewhere, appropriate permission and attribution must be obtained and clearly indicated, consistent with the journal's Author Guidelines.

Post-Publication Discovery

If plagiarism is identified after an article has been published, the journal will investigate the matter in accordance with COPE's guidelines for handling suspected plagiarism. Confirmed cases may result in a formal correction, an expression of concern, or full retraction of the affected article (see Corrections & Retractions), along with notification to the author's affiliated institution where appropriate, in line with Research Misconduct & Sanctions.

Reporting Suspected Plagiarism

Readers, authors, or reviewers who suspect plagiarism in a submitted or published SR article are encouraged to contact the editorial office directly, following the process outlined in the journal's Complaints & Appeals policy, providing as much supporting detail as possible to assist the investigation.