Plagiarism Policy

BioSphere Dynamics: International Journal of Biological and Environmental Sciences is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity, ethical publishing, and scientific transparency. All submitted manuscripts are rigorously screened for textual similarity using industry-standard plagiarism detection tools (e.g., Turnitin/iThenticate). Manuscripts exhibiting a total similarity index above 20% (excluding references, standard methodologies, and legally required statements) may be rejected without peer review. The journal maintains zero tolerance for plagiarism and self-plagiarism in any form.

Definition and Scope

Plagiarism: The use or appropriation of ideas, data, methods, images, or text from another source without proper acknowledgment through citation or quotation. This includes close paraphrasing that mimics the structure or argument of the original work.
Self-plagiarism: Reuse of one’s previously published or submitted work (text, data, or figures) without proper citation, transparency, and justification. This includes duplicate submissions and fragmented (“salami”) publications.
Mosaic plagiarism: Blending original writing with unattributed borrowed phrases or ideas, resulting in substantial similarity to source material.
Idea plagiarism: Use of another researcher’s conceptual framework, hypothesis, or interpretation without attribution, even when rephrased.
Data/Figure plagiarism: Reproduction or adaptation of datasets, tables, figures, maps, or images without appropriate citation and necessary permissions.

Attribution and Quotation Standards

Ideas and Concepts: All ideas, methodologies, or interpretations derived from existing literature must be appropriately cited. Any extension of prior work must clearly acknowledge the original source.
Verbatim Text: Direct use of text (four or more consecutive identical words or distinctive phrasing) must be enclosed in quotation marks or formatted as block quotes with precise citations and page numbers.
Paraphrasing: Must involve substantial transformation of the original content and always include proper citation. Simple synonym replacement is not acceptable.
Data and Visual Content: Any reused or adapted tables, figures, or datasets must include clear attribution in captions and text, along with permissions where applicable.

Similarity Checking and Thresholds

All manuscripts undergo plagiarism screening prior to peer review. A similarity index above 20% may lead to immediate rejection or request for revision at the discretion of the editorial board. However, this threshold is indicative, not absolute—even lower similarity scores may be problematic if significant unattributed overlap exists.

Plagiarism detection tools are used as screening aids, and final decisions rely on editorial judgment.

Author Responsibilities

Ensure the originality of submitted work and proper citation of all sources.
Disclose any prior dissemination, including preprints, conference papers, or overlapping submissions.
Clearly indicate reuse of text, data, or figures and obtain necessary permissions.
Maintain compliance with ethical research and publication standards.

Editorial Actions and Consequences

Desk Rejection: Immediate rejection for clear cases of plagiarism or duplicate submission.
Investigation: Allegations at any stage will be formally reviewed, requiring author clarification.
Corrections/Retractions: Confirmed violations may result in manuscript withdrawal, correction notices, or retraction after publication.
Notifications: Institutions or funding bodies may be informed in serious cases.
Submission Ban: Temporary or permanent bans may be imposed for repeated or severe violations.

Education and Remediation

The journal encourages authors to adopt responsible research and writing practices, including:

Proper citation management
Transparent note-taking
Ethical reuse of prior work

In cases of minor, unintentional overlap, authors may be given one opportunity to revise under editorial guidance.

Contact

For queries related to plagiarism, similarity reports, or ethical guidelines, authors may contact the Editorial Office at:
editor@biospheredynamics.org

Declaration

By submitting to BioSphere Dynamics: International Journal of Biological and Environmental Sciences, authors confirm that they have read, understood, and agreed to comply with this Plagiarism Policy.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Declaration Policy

BioSphere Dynamics acknowledges the increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic research and writing. To ensure transparency, accountability, and scientific integrity, authors must disclose any use of AI tools in their manuscript preparation.

AI Usage Guidelines

Permitted Uses

Language editing, grammar correction, and proofreading
Translation of scientific content
Formatting and reference style assistance
Literature organization and research support

Prohibited Uses

Generation of core research content, results, or conclusions
Fabrication of data, figures, or findings
Writing substantial sections without human oversight
Listing AI tools as authors or co-authors

Mandatory Disclosure Requirements

Authors must include an “AI Declaration Statement” specifying:

Tool(s) Used: Name and version (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly AI)
Purpose: Specific use (e.g., language refinement)
Extent: Approximate level of AI involvement
Human Oversight: Description of review and validation process

Example:
“The authors used AI tools for language editing purposes. All content was critically reviewed and validated by the authors, who take full responsibility for the manuscript.”

Author Responsibilities (AI Use)

Authors remain fully accountable for all content
All data, citations, and claims must be independently verified
Ethical standards must be maintained regardless of AI assistance
Failure to disclose AI use may result in rejection or retraction

Editorial Review

Manuscripts disclosing AI usage will undergo the same rigorous peer review process, with transparency maintained for reviewers.