Plagiarism Policy

Directive Publications has zero tolerance for plagiarism. All submitted manuscripts are expected to be original and to appropriately acknowledge the work and ideas of others.

What constitutes plagiarism

• Presenting another’s work, words, or ideas as one’s own without attribution.
• Copying text, figures, or data without permission and citation.
• Self-plagiarism — reusing one’s own previously published work without disclosure and citation.
• Redundant publication — publishing substantially overlapping work across multiple venues.

Similarity screening

Manuscripts are screened for textual similarity as part of editorial assessment. A high similarity index, or any indication of copied content, prompts careful editorial review. Similarity arising from properly cited and quoted material is evaluated in context.

Consequences

Where plagiarism is identified, outcomes are handled in line with COPE guidance and may include rejection, a request for revision, notification of the authors’ institutions, and — for published work — correction or retraction (see Corrections, Retractions & Withdrawals).

Authors’ responsibility

Authors are responsible for ensuring the originality of their work, citing all sources accurately, and obtaining permission for any reused third-party material.