Plagiarism Policy
Anti-Plagiarism & Integrity Policy
Rural Governance and Green Development (RGGD) maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism and all forms of academic misconduct. The journal adheres to international standards as outlined by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
1. Definition of Plagiarism
- Copying text, data, images, or ideas from other sources without proper citation.
- Reproducing one’s own previously published work (“self-plagiarism”) without disclosure.
- Paraphrasing substantial content without acknowledging the original source.
2. Screening Procedures & Thresholds
- Author Self-Check Requirement: Authors are required to conduct a plagiarism check prior to submission. The overall similarity index must be below 15% - 20% (excluding references). Manuscripts exceeding this threshold should be revised.
- Editorial Random Spot Checks: The Editorial Office conducts random spot checks on submissions. If a manuscript is selected and found to violate the similarity threshold, it may be subject to immediate rejection.
3. Use of AI & Large Language Models
- Authorship: AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) cannot be listed as authors.
- Disclosure: Authors must explicitly disclose the use of AI tools in the "Methodology" or "Acknowledgements" section.
- Accountability: Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy of AI-generated content.
4. Consequences of Misconduct
- Before publication: Manuscripts will be rejected; authors may face a submission ban.
- After publication: Articles will be retracted with a formal notice; institutions may be notified.
5. Author Responsibilities
- Ensure all work is original and properly cited.
- Avoid excessive overlap with previously published material.
- Secure permissions for reused figures or datasets.
RGGD reserves the right to revise this policy periodically to uphold academic integrity.
