Plagiarism Policy
Why Original Work Matters
At the International Journal of Medical Anesthesiology, we publish research because we believe it advances medical knowledge. That only works if what we publish is genuine. When someone passes off another person's work as their own, they're not just breaking rules — they're undermining the entire enterprise of scientific communication.
Original thinking is hard. Good research takes time, effort, and often years of work. Authors who do that work deserve credit for it. And readers deserve to know whose ideas they're reading. Plagiarism cheats everyone.
What Exactly Is Plagiarism?
Put simply, plagiarism is taking someone else's ideas, words, data, or findings and presenting them as your own — without giving proper credit to the original source. It doesn't matter whether it's intentional or accidental; the effect on the scientific record is the same.
This includes copying text verbatim, paraphrasing too closely, borrowing ideas without citation, and reusing figures or data without acknowledgment. It also includes something people don't always think about: recycling your own previously published work without disclosure.
Forms of Plagiarism We Watch For
Direct copying: Taking text from a source and using it word-for-word without quotation marks or citation. This is the most obvious form, and there's really no defense for it.
Patchwork plagiarism: Stitching together phrases and sentences from multiple sources, perhaps with some rewording, to create something that looks original but isn't. The ideas still belong to others, even if the exact words have been shuffled around.
Idea plagiarism: Using someone's original concept, theory, or interpretation without credit — even if you've expressed it entirely in your own words. Ideas have owners too.
Self-plagiarism: This one surprises some authors. Reusing substantial portions of your own previously published work — without citing it or disclosing the overlap — is problematic. At its worst, this means submitting the same paper to multiple journals. More commonly, it involves recycling large blocks of text from earlier papers. Your prior work still needs to be cited, even though you wrote it.
How We Check
Pre-check / Pre-scanning
We don't run every submission through plagiarism detection software immediately — there's little point in checking a paper that won't make it past initial review. But once a manuscript shows promise and moves forward in our evaluation process, we do check it.
Our reviewers also play a role here. They're experts in their fields and often recognize borrowed content that software might miss. We ask them to flag anything that seems familiar or improperly attributed.
What Happens If We Find Plagiarism
Before publication: If plagiarism is detected during review, the manuscript is rejected. We won't consider it further, and depending on the severity, we may decline future submissions from the same authors.
After publication: If plagiarism comes to light after an article has been published, we take it seriously. The Editor-in-Chief will investigate — sometimes with assistance from a specially constituted committee. If the plagiarism is confirmed and exceeds acceptable limits, the article will be formally retracted.
In serious cases, we may also notify the author's institution and relevant professional bodies. We don't do this to be punitive, but because institutions need to know when their researchers have violated ethical standards. Future submissions from authors involved in confirmed plagiarism may be barred from the journal.
The Right Way to Use Others' Work
None of this means you can't build on existing research — of course you can. That's how science works. The key is proper attribution. Cite your sources. Use quotation marks for direct quotes. Make clear where ideas came from. If you're drawing heavily on your own previous work, say so.
Good citation practices don't diminish your contribution. They actually strengthen it by showing you understand the field and know where your work fits within it.
Author Responsibility
We strongly encourage authors to check their manuscripts for originality before submission. There are various tools available for this purpose. Don't assume that because you wrote something quickly or paraphrased carefully, it will pass muster.
Ultimately, authors bear full responsibility for the originality of their submissions. The editorial board is not liable for plagiarism-related complaints, legal actions, or consequences arising from published work. By submitting to International Journal of Medical Anesthesiology, authors confirm that their work is original and properly attributed.
A Note on Open Access
As an open access journal, our content is freely available to readers worldwide. This openness comes with responsibility — both ours and our authors'. We're committed to publishing work that meets the highest ethical standards, and we expect the same commitment from everyone who submits to us. For questions about our plagiarism policy or to report concerns, contact us at anesthesiologypaper@gmail.com.
