Plagiarism is the presentation of another person's ideas, words, data, figures, images, or intellectual work as one's own without appropriate acknowledgment or permission. The journal considers both intentional and unintentional plagiarism to be unacceptable.

Plagiarism may include, but is not limited to:

• Copying text from published or unpublished sources without proper citation.
• Paraphrasing another author's work without appropriate attribution.
• Using figures, tables, photographs, images, or datasets without permission or acknowledgment.
• Presenting another person's research findings or intellectual property as original work.
• Translation plagiarism, where material from another language is translated and presented without proper citation.
• Improper reuse of previously published content without appropriate disclosure.

By submitting a manuscript to IJMSDH, authors confirm that their submission complies with the journal's originality requirements and ethical publishing standards.

• The manuscript represents original scholarly work.
• The manuscript has not been previously published except where clearly disclosed.
• The manuscript is not under simultaneous consideration by another journal.
• All sources of information have been appropriately cited and referenced.
• Necessary permissions have been obtained for copyrighted materials.
• All listed authors have approved the submitted version of the manuscript.

All submitted manuscripts may undergo similarity screening using plagiarism detection software together with editorial assessment. Similarity reports are considered as one component of the editorial evaluation process and are interpreted within the context of the manuscript.

Editorial decisions are based on the nature, source, extent, and significance of any detected similarity rather than on a single numerical similarity score. Legitimate similarity arising from references, standard methodology, technical terminology, or properly quoted material is evaluated separately from potential plagiarism.

If potential plagiarism or originality concerns are identified during the editorial or peer review process, the Editorial Office will conduct an appropriate assessment in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policies.

Depending on the circumstances, the Editorial Office may:

• Request clarification or an explanation from the authors.
• Request revision and appropriate citation of affected content.
• Request additional supporting documentation where necessary.
• Reject the manuscript if substantial plagiarism or unethical publication practices are confirmed.
• Refer serious ethical concerns for further editorial investigation.

Each case is evaluated individually, objectively, and confidentially, taking into account the evidence available and internationally accepted publication ethics principles.

If plagiarism or other originality concerns are identified after an article has been published, the Editorial Office will investigate the matter in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics Policy and internationally accepted ethical guidelines. All investigations are conducted fairly, objectively, and confidentially.

Depending on the outcome of the investigation, the journal may:

• Request clarification or an explanation from the authors.
• Publish a correction or corrigendum where appropriate.
• Issue an Editorial Note or Expression of Concern.
• Retract the published article in cases of confirmed serious plagiarism or publication misconduct.
• Notify the authors' affiliated institution(s), funding agency, or other appropriate authorities where necessary.

The primary objective of these actions is to preserve the integrity, reliability, and transparency of the scholarly record.

Authors should avoid excessive reuse of their own previously published work without proper citation, disclosure, or editorial approval. Previously published material must not be presented as new or original research.

The journal considers the following practices unacceptable:

• Submitting substantially identical manuscripts to multiple journals.
• Duplicate or redundant publication of previously published work.
• Reusing substantial portions of previously published text without proper acknowledgment.
• Fragmenting a single study into multiple overlapping publications ("salami publication") without scientific justification.

Authors should disclose any closely related manuscripts, conference papers, preprints, or previous publications at the time of submission.

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to assist in language editing or manuscript preparation does not transfer responsibility for the originality, accuracy, or integrity of the submitted work. Authors remain fully responsible for ensuring that AI-assisted content does not contain plagiarism, fabricated references, inaccurate information, copyright infringement, or misleading scientific statements.

Authors must ensure that figures, photographs, tables, graphs, and research data accurately represent the original findings of the study. Inappropriate image manipulation, selective data reporting, fabrication, falsification, or misleading presentation of research results constitutes serious publication misconduct and may result in editorial action.

• Ensure the originality and authenticity of submitted work.
• Properly acknowledge and cite all published sources.
• Obtain permission for copyrighted materials where required.
• Disclose any related manuscripts or previous publications.
• Cooperate fully with editorial investigations regarding originality or ethical concerns.
• Promptly notify the Editorial Office if significant errors or ethical issues are identified after submission or publication.

IJMSDH is committed to promoting honesty, transparency, originality, and responsible scholarly communication. The journal takes all allegations of plagiarism and publication misconduct seriously and investigates concerns in a fair, impartial, and confidential manner while respecting the rights of all parties involved.

The journal supports the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and follows internationally accepted standards of publication ethics and research integrity. Editorial decisions relating to plagiarism and publication misconduct are made in accordance with the journal's editorial policies and established ethical best practices.