The African Journal of Research in Medical and Health Sciences (AJRMHS) is committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing. The journal strictly prohibits plagiarism in all forms and expects authors to submit only original and properly cited work.

Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as the use of another person’s ideas, words, data, or research findings without proper acknowledgment or permission. This includes verbatim copying, paraphrasing without citation, self-plagiarism, and the submission of work that has been previously published elsewhere without appropriate disclosure.

Screening for Plagiarism

All submitted manuscripts are screened for originality using recognized plagiarism detection tools such as Turnitin or iThenticate before they are sent for peer review. Manuscripts with a high similarity index or evidence of plagiarism will be returned to the authors for correction or rejected outright.

Acceptable Similarity Index

The journal generally considers a similarity index of less than 20% acceptable, provided that no single source exceeds a reasonable limit and all referenced materials are properly cited. Manuscripts exceeding this threshold may be subject to editorial review and possible rejection.

Forms of Plagiarism Considered Misconduct

The journal regards the following as serious ethical violations:

• Direct copying of text without quotation or citation

• Paraphrasing substantial portions of another work without proper acknowledgment

• Self-plagiarism or redundant publication

• Data fabrication or falsification

• Submission of manuscripts previously published or under consideration elsewhere

Actions in Cases of Plagiarism

If plagiarism is detected at any stage of the editorial process, the following actions may be taken:

• Immediate rejection of the manuscript

• Request for revision and proper citation

• Notification to the author’s affiliated institution where necessary

• Retraction of published articles if plagiarism is discovered after publication

The journal follows international best practices in publication ethics as recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Author Responsibility

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their manuscripts are entirely original and that all sources of information are properly cited. Proper acknowledgment must be given to the work of others, including text, figures, tables, and data.

By submitting a manuscript to the African Journal of Research in Medical and Health Sciences, authors confirm that their work is free from plagiarism and complies with the ethical standards of scholarly publishing.