Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism and AI-Generated Content Policy

The Journal of Community Health and Nursing (JCHN) upholds the highest standards of academic integrity and publication ethics. All submitted manuscripts are expected to be the original work of the authors and free from any form of plagiarism or unethical use of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content. The journal applies a zero-tolerance policytoward plagiarism and misrepresentation.

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:

  • Verbatim copying of text without quotation marks and proper citation.

  • Paraphrasing of content from other works without acknowledgment.

  • Reusing previously published content (self-plagiarism) without proper attribution or citation.

  • Improper reuse of data, images, tables, or ideas from other sources without permission or reference.

2. Screening for Plagiarism

All submitted manuscripts undergo plagiarism screening using professional plagiarism detection software such as Turnitin or iThenticate. The acceptable similarity index threshold is:

  • Below 20% overall, with no single source exceeding 5%.

  • Similarity from properly cited quotes and references is excluded from the score.

If plagiarism is detected at any stage—submission, review, or publication—the manuscript will be rejected or retracted depending on the severity.

3. AI-Generated Content Policy

JCHN acknowledges the increasing use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Bard, Copilot) in research workflows. However, the use of AI-generated content must be ethical, transparent, and limited to support functions. The following rules apply:

Acceptable AI Use

  • Grammar correction, language enhancement, or formatting suggestions.

  • Reference management or literature searches (with human verification).

  • Assistance in data visualization or coding (with author oversight).

Unacceptable AI Use

  • Submitting content written entirely or largely by AI as original scholarly work.

  • Generating results, conclusions, or discussions using AI without real data or human interpretation.

  • Fabricating references or citations using AI tools.

Authors are required to disclose any use of AI tools in the Acknowledgment section of their manuscript.

4. AI Detection Measures

JCHN reserves the right to screen manuscripts using AI detection tools (e.g., GPTZero, ZeroGPT, Turnitin AI Writing Detection) to ensure content originality and human authorship. If a manuscript is found to contain substantial AI-generated content without disclosure or academic justification, it may be:

  • Returned to authors for revision

  • Rejected outright

  • Retracted post-publication, in accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines

5. Author Responsibility and Declaration

Upon submission, authors must confirm that:

  • The manuscript is their original work.

  • Any borrowed content is properly cited and/or permission has been obtained.

  • Any AI use is disclosed and did not replace critical thinking or academic analysis.

All authors are required to sign an Author Declaration Form confirming adherence to these policies.

6. Consequences of Violation

Violations of this policy may result in:

  • Rejection or retraction of the article.

  • Notification to affiliated institutions or funders.

  • Temporary or permanent ban from future submissions.

References and Ethical Standards

This policy aligns with guidelines from:

  • COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)

  • ICMJE (International Committee of Medical Journal Editors)

  • DOAJ Best Practice Standards