Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy: Loreto College Open Book Platform

Loreto College Academic Press (LCAP) maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism. We are committed to upholding the integrity of the scholarly record and ensuring that all works hosted on our platform are original, ethically produced, and properly attributed.

1. Definition of Plagiarism

At LCAP, plagiarism is defined as the representation of another's work, ideas, or expressions as one’s own. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Direct Copying: Reproducing text, data, or unique ideas word-for-word without quotation marks and proper citation.
• Unattributed Paraphrasing: Summarizing or reshaping someone else’s work without acknowledging the original source.
• Self-Plagiarism: Reusing significant portions of one’s own previously published work (books, articles, or chapters) without explicit disclosure and justification.
• Visual Plagiarism: Using images, tables, graphs, or maps without securing the necessary permissions or providing appropriate credit.

2. Screening and Detection

To ensure the highest standards, every manuscript submitted to the Open Book Platform undergoes a rigorous screening process:

• Initial Screening: All submissions are processed through industry-standard plagiarism detection software (e.g., Turnitin or iThenticate) upon receipt.
• Pre-Publication Audit: A secondary check is performed after the final revisions are completed to ensure that no unoriginal content was introduced during the editing phase.
• Similarity Thresholds: While we recognize that technical terms and bibliographies may increase similarity scores, a high percentage of non-original content will trigger an immediate manual review by the Editorial Board.

3. Consequences of Plagiarism

If plagiarism is detected, the actions taken by the Press depend on the stage of the process and the severity of the infraction:

Stage	Action Taken
Pre-Review	The manuscript will be rejected immediately, or the author may be asked to revise and resubmit with proper citations for minor overlaps.
During Review	The review process is suspended, and the author is asked for a formal explanation. Failure to provide a valid defense results in rejection.
Post-Publication	If plagiarism is discovered after the book is live, LCAP will issue a formal Retraction or Correction in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Additional Sanctions:

In cases of severe or deliberate academic dishonesty, the Press reserves the right to:

1. Blacklist: Prohibit the author from submitting to the platform for a specified period (e.g., 3–5 years).
2. Institutional Notification: Inform the author’s home institution or funding body of the ethical breach.
3. Public Notice: Clearly mark the digital version of the book as "Retracted" to maintain the transparency of the academic record.

4. Ethical Guidance

Loreto College Academic Press strictly follows the flowcharts and recommendations provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). We encourage authors to review their manuscripts thoroughly and utilize citation management tools to ensure all sources are correctly credited before submission.