1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s work, ideas, data, or expressions as one’s own without proper attribution. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Copying text, figures, tables, or data without citation.
• Paraphrasing substantial portions of another’s work without acknowledgment.
• Using ideas or concepts from other sources without credit.
• Submitting previously published work as new (self-plagiarism).

2. Plagiarism Screening

All submitted manuscripts are screened for plagiarism using reputable similarity detection tools (e.g., iThenticate, Turnitin). The similarity report is reviewed by the editorial team before peer review begins.

• Acceptable similarity index: generally ≤ 15%, excluding references, quotations, and common phrases.
• Text overlap from a single source should not exceed 5% without proper attribution.

3. Acceptable Use of Sources

Authors must ensure that:

• All borrowed material is properly cited using the journal’s reference style.
• Direct quotations are enclosed in quotation marks or indented as block quotes.
• Paraphrased content is substantially reworded and credited to the original source.

4. Handling of Plagiarism Cases

If plagiarism is detected:

• Before acceptance: The manuscript will be returned to the author for revision or rejected outright depending on the severity.
• After acceptance but before publication: The manuscript will be rejected, and the author’s institution may be notified.
• After publication: A retraction will be issued, the article will be marked as “Retracted,” and relevant databases will be informed.

5. Consequences and Sanctions

• Rejection of the manuscript.
• Restriction from submitting to Acta Innovations for a specified period.
• Notification to the author’s affiliated institution or funding body.

6. Author Responsibility

Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy and originality of their submissions. By submitting a manuscript, authors affirm that:

• The work is their own, except where credited.
• All co-authors have approved the content.
• No part of the manuscript is under consideration elsewhere or has been previously published (unless explicitly stated and permitted).