Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Screening

Jurnal Tunas Siliwangi is committed to maintaining academic integrity and does not tolerate plagiarism or any form of unethical publication practice. All manuscripts submitted to the journal must be original scholarly works that contribute to the development of knowledge, research, and educational practices in early childhood education and related fields.

Submitted manuscripts are subject to plagiarism screening by the editorial team before being sent for peer review. The screening process aims to identify similarities with previously published works, including journal articles, books, conference papers, theses, dissertations, online publications, and other sources.

The editorial team may use plagiarism detection software to assess textual similarities and identify potential cases of plagiarism. Similarity reports are evaluated carefully by the editors, taking into account the context of the matching text, the proper use of citations, quotations, references, and the nature of the overlap. A similarity score alone does not determine whether plagiarism has occurred.

Manuscripts containing unacceptable similarities or evidence of plagiarism may be returned to the authors for revision or rejected, depending on the severity and nature of the identified issues.

Similarity Thresholds

Jurnal Tunas Siliwangi may use the following similarity thresholds as a guideline for the initial editorial screening process:

Overall similarity score	Editorial action
Below 20%, with no substantial unattributed overlap	The manuscript may proceed to peer review, subject to editorial assessment
20%–30%	The manuscript may be returned to the authors for revision, proper citation, and clarification before peer review
Above 30%, or evidence of substantial unattributed copying	The manuscript may be rejected at the initial screening stage

Similarity scores should be assessed after considering references, properly quoted material, standard terminology, and other legitimate matches, where appropriate. The editorial team retains the authority to make decisions based on the nature and seriousness of the identified similarities rather than relying solely on numerical thresholds.

A manuscript with a low similarity score may still be rejected if clear evidence of plagiarism or other research misconduct is found.

Forms of Plagiarism

Jurnal Tunas Siliwangi recognizes the following forms of plagiarism and publication misconduct:

• Literal Copying: Reproducing another author's words or passages without appropriate quotation marks, acknowledgment, or citation.
• Substantial Copying: Reproducing significant portions of another person's work, whether in quantity or scholarly importance, without proper attribution.
• Plagiarism of Ideas: Using another researcher's ideas, theories, arguments, interpretations, methods, or findings without appropriate acknowledgment of the original source.
• Improper Paraphrasing: Rewriting another author's work with minor changes to wording or sentence structure without adequately acknowledging the original source.
• Self-Plagiarism and Redundant Publication: Reusing substantial portions of one's own previously published work without appropriate disclosure, citation, or justification, or submitting substantially overlapping manuscripts for publication without transparent disclosure.
• Data and Image Misrepresentation: Presenting data, figures, photographs, tables, or other research materials taken from other sources without proper acknowledgment or permission where required, or manipulating research materials in ways that misrepresent the original evidence.
• Citation Misconduct: Providing misleading, incomplete, or inaccurate citations that obscure the original source of ideas, findings, or research materials.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that all sources are properly cited and that any third-party material is used in accordance with applicable copyright, licensing, and permission requirements.

Responsibilities of Authors

Authors submitting manuscripts to Jurnal Tunas Siliwangi must:

1. Ensure that their manuscripts are original and have not been plagiarized from other published or unpublished works.
2. Cite all sources appropriately and provide complete references for ideas, data, quotations, and materials derived from other works.
3. Use quotation marks and appropriate citations when reproducing exact wording from another source.
4. Disclose any substantial overlap between the submitted manuscript and the authors' previously published or submitted works.
5. Obtain permission for the use of copyrighted material when required.
6. Cooperate with the editorial team in providing explanations or revising manuscripts when potential plagiarism or inappropriate similarity is identified.

Failure to comply with these responsibilities may result in rejection or other editorial action in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policies.

Editorial Actions for Plagiarism

When potential plagiarism is identified before publication, the editorial team will evaluate the evidence and determine the appropriate action. Depending on the seriousness of the case, the journal may:

1. Request clarification or additional information from the authors.
2. Return the manuscript for correction of citations, quotations, or other attribution issues.
3. Require substantial revision before the manuscript can proceed to peer review.
4. Reject the manuscript when serious plagiarism or unacceptable overlap is established.
5. Refer serious cases to the relevant institution or other appropriate authority when necessary.

All cases will be handled fairly and confidentially, with due consideration given to the evidence and the circumstances of the case.

Plagiarism Identified After Publication

If plagiarism or substantial unattributed overlap is identified after an article has been published, Jurnal Tunas Siliwangi will investigate the allegation in accordance with its publication ethics policies and applicable scholarly publishing standards.

Depending on the findings, the journal may publish a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction. The journal may also contact the authors' affiliated institutions or other relevant parties when appropriate.

Any corrective action will be taken to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record and to inform readers of significant concerns regarding the originality or reliability of the published work.

Commitment to Academic Integrity

Jurnal Tunas Siliwangi is committed to promoting originality, transparency, responsible citation practices, and ethical research in early childhood education and related disciplines. Authors, editors, and reviewers are expected to uphold these principles throughout the submission, review, and publication process.

For manuscript submissions and further information, please visit the official website of Jurnal Tunas Siliwangi:

https://e-journal.stkipsiliwangi.ac.id/index.php/tunas-siliwangi/