Plagiarism Policy

Econova: A Journal of Business, Commerce, and Economic Research

Econova is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and originality. Plagiarism, in any form, is a serious ethical violation and is strictly prohibited. All submitted manuscripts are expected to be original, properly cited, and free from any form of academic misconduct.

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves the use of another person's work, ideas, or intellectual property without appropriate acknowledgment. It includes, but is not limited to:

• Copying text, data, images, tables, or figures without citation
• Paraphrasing significant portions of another work without credit
• Self-plagiarism (reusing one’s previously published work without disclosure)
• Submitting content that has already been published or is under review elsewhere
• Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data

2. Detection and Screening

All submitted manuscripts undergo plagiarism screening using Turnitin, iThenticate, or other reliable plagiarism detection software.

• A similarity index exceeding acceptable thresholds (usually above 15–20%, excluding references) may prompt further investigation.
• Minor overlaps may require revision and rephrasing; substantial overlaps may lead to rejection without review.

3. Consequences of Plagiarism

If plagiarism is detected at any stage of submission, review, or publication, the following actions may be taken:

• Immediate rejection of the manuscript
• Withdrawal of accepted articles prior to publication
• Retraction of published articles, accompanied by a formal retraction notice
• Notification to the author’s institution or funding agency in severe cases
• Blacklisting of authors from future submissions to Econova

4. Author Responsibility

Authors are fully responsible for ensuring the originality and ethical integrity of their work. They must:

• Properly cite all sources, whether quoted, paraphrased, or reused
• Ensure that any reused figures or tables are clearly marked and permitted for reuse
• Disclose any prior publications related to the current submission
• Confirm that all co-authors approve the submission and its content

6. Use of AI and Automated Tools

The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, paraphrasing software, or content generators) must be declared. AI-generated text must be:

• Used responsibly and under the supervision of the author
• Clearly acknowledged in the manuscript, particularly in the methodology or acknowledgments section
• Not used to bypass originality checks or disguise plagiarism

Undisclosed or unethical use of AI tools may be treated as misconduct and subject to editorial action.

5. Retraction Policy

If plagiarism or other forms of serious ethical misconduct are discovered after publication, the article will be formally retracted. A retraction notice will be published explaining the reason, and the article will be removed from the journal’s online archive and indexing platforms as appropriate.

7. Educational Commitment

Econova is committed to fostering ethical research practices. Authors are encouraged to review international citation standards (e.g., APA 7th ed.) and seek guidance from institutional ethics committees or the journal’s editorial office if unsure about citation or reuse practices.