Plagiarism Policy

The Medical Journal of Public Health (MJPH), published under ARC Publishing, is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scholarly integrity and ethical publication. All manuscripts submitted to the journal must be original, authentic, and free from plagiarism, duplication, fabrication, or any form of unethical research practice.

Authors are expected to conduct and present their research responsibly. Proper acknowledgment of all sources—including literature, data, conceptual frameworks, images, tables, and any intellectual contributions—is mandatory and must follow accepted academic referencing standards.

Unacceptable Practices

The journal considers the following actions as serious violations of ethical publishing standards:

  • Reproducing text, ideas, data, tables, or graphics without proper citation.
  • Republishing one’s own previously published work without appropriate disclosure (self-plagiarism).
  • Submitting the same or substantially similar manuscript to multiple journals (duplicate submission/publication).
  • Improper paraphrasing or misleading citation practices.
  • Reusing copyrighted material without proper permission.

Such practices compromise academic credibility and are strictly prohibited.

Similarity Assessment

To ensure originality, all submissions are evaluated using recognized plagiarism detection tools. Similarity checks may be conducted:

  • At the time of initial submission,
  • During editorial review,
  • Before final acceptance, or
  • At any stage prior to publication.

Manuscripts found to contain excessive similarity or unethical overlap may be rejected without further review.

Corrective & Disciplinary Measures

If ethical concerns arise, the editorial office will investigate the matter thoroughly and take appropriate action depending on the severity of the case. Possible measures include:

  • Rejection of the manuscript.
  • Requesting revisions or a formal explanation from the authors.
  • Retraction or withdrawal of a published article.
  • Informing the author’s affiliated institution or funding agency, if necessary.
  • Imposing restrictions on future submissions.

All actions are taken in accordance with recognized publication ethics guidelines and ARC Publishing policies.

Accountability of Authors

Authors bear full responsibility for the authenticity and integrity of their work. Submissions must not violate copyright laws, ethical standards, or legal requirements.

Before submission, authors are strongly advised to ensure that their manuscripts are properly cited, accurately referenced, and completely free from plagiarism or redundant publication.

By enforcing strict ethical principles, MJPH promotes transparency, reliability, and excellence in scholarly communication within the field of public health.