Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism, in any form, constitutes a serious breach of academic integrity and is regarded as unethical publishing conduct, rendering it entirely unacceptable. Plagiarism is broadly defined as the unauthorized reproduction of text, concepts, images, or data from external sources—including the author’s own prior publications—without proper citation or acknowledgment. This includes direct copying, paraphrasing without attribution, and self-plagiarism (redundant publication). To uphold the highest standards of originality and academic rigor, all submitted manuscripts undergo a thorough plagiarism screening using Turnitin. Any manuscript with a similarity index exceeding 15% may be subject to immediate rejection or require substantial revisions at the discretion of the editorial team.

Furthermore, the integrity of research data is paramount, and all presented data must be genuine, unaltered, and accurately reported. Any form of data manipulation, fabrication, or selective reporting is strictly prohibited. Unethical data practices include, but are not limited to:

  1. Data exclusion to exaggerate statistical significance – The intentional omission of data points to strengthen conclusions without valid justification.
  2. Fabrication of data – The generation or falsification of research data that was never obtained through legitimate means.
  3. Selective reporting of results – The deliberate inclusion of only those findings that support a preferred hypothesis while disregarding contradictory evidence.
  4. Manipulative analytical practices – The intentional selection of statistical methods, analysis tools, or procedures to produce biased results (e.g., p-hacking).

To promote transparency and reproducibility, authors are strongly encouraged to pre register their research methods and analysis plans before data collection and analysis. This measure enhances the credibility of scientific findings, mitigates bias, and reinforces the ethical integrity of the research process.

By enforcing these ethical guidelines, the International Journal of Community Service for Sustainable Development Goals is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scholarly integrity and academic excellence.