1. Commitment to Academic Integrity
Education Tomorrow takes academic integrity seriously and employs industry-standard plagiarism detection tools to screen all submissions. This policy outlines our procedures for detecting, preventing, and addressing plagiarism to ensure the credibility of scholarly research.
2. Detection Service
Plagiarism Detection Software
All manuscripts submitted to Education Tomorrow are screened using industry-standard plagiarism detection software:
- Primary Service: Turnitin (or equivalent services such as iThenticate, Urkund, Plagiarism Checker X)
- When: During initial screening, before peer review
- Coverage: Comparison against published works, web content, and other submitted manuscripts
Service Information: Turnitin and equivalent tools are widely recognized in academic publishing for their ability to provide detailed similarity reports, identifying potential plagiarism, improper citations, and text recycling.
3. Similarity Threshold
3.1 Acceptable Similarity Index
Manuscripts must meet the following standard:
- Maximum Similarity: ≤15% (excluding references and standard phrases)
- Similarity index includes matches with published works, web content, and other submitted manuscripts
- Common phrases, properly cited quotations, and references are excluded from the similarity calculation
Important: Manuscripts with similarity scores exceeding 15% (excluding references) will NOT proceed to peer review and will be returned to authors for revision or rejected outright.
3.2 What is Checked
The plagiarism detection process identifies:
- Text Similarity: Matches with published works
- Self-Plagiarism: Duplicate publication or text recycling by the same author
- Improper Paraphrasing: Rewording without adequate citation
- Missing or Inadequate Citations: Failure to properly attribute sources
4. Screening Process
Step 1: Automated Screening
- Manuscripts are uploaded to Turnitin or an equivalent service upon submission
- A similarity report is generated within 24–48 hours
- The report highlights matched text and provides source links for review
Step 2: Editorial Review
- The editorial team reviews the similarity report
- Evaluates whether matches are:
- Properly cited quotations (acceptable)
- Common phrases or technical terms (acceptable)
- Improperly cited or uncited material (problematic)
Step 3: Decision
| Similarity Score |
Action |
| 0–15% |
✅ Proceed to peer review (assuming proper citations) |
| 16–25% |
⚠️ Editorial review: Authors may be asked to revise and clarify citations before peer review |
| 26–40% |
❌ Returned to authors for major revision; may not proceed to review until similarity is reduced |
| Above 40% |
🚫 Desk rejection; considered a serious breach of academic integrity |
5. Author Responsibilities
Authors are responsible for ensuring:
- Originality: All text is original or properly attributed
- Proper Citation: Direct quotations are clearly marked and cited, following APA 7th edition guidelines
- Disclosure of Prior Publications: Any prior publication of the work (e.g., preprints, conference papers, thesis chapters) must be disclosed in the cover letter
- Co-Author Consent: All listed authors must have contributed substantially and approved the final manuscript
6. Consequences of Plagiarism
6.1 Pre-Publication (During Submission/Review)
- Minor Issues (16–25% similarity): Authors asked to revise citations
- Moderate Issues (26–40% similarity): Manuscript returned for major revision or rejected
- Severe Issues (>40% similarity or intentional plagiarism):
- Immediate desk rejection
- Potential ban from future submissions
- Notification to author’s institution
6.2 Post-Publication
- Investigation: Allegations of plagiarism are investigated following COPE guidelines
- Actions: Article retraction, notification to author’s institution, and public correction notice
- Reference: Detailed procedures are outlined in our Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement
7. Contact Information
For inquiries regarding plagiarism detection or related policies, contact:
Education Tomorrow
Kipchumba Foundation
Email: journal@kipchumbafoundation.org
Website: https://journal.kipchumbafoundation.org