Defining Acceptable Levels of Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism in Academic Writing: Insights for Authors

In the realm of academic publishing, understanding the nuances of plagiarism and self-plagiarism is essential for researchers striving for integrity in their work. Exploring the acceptable thresholds of textual similarity sheds light on the standards upheld by scholarly journals and monographs.

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Most scientists are well-acquainted with the concepts of "plagiarism" and "self-plagiarism". For those unfamiliar, comprehensive insights can be found in our dedicated post, "Publication Ethics: Distinguishing Plagiarism from Self-Plagiarism".

Within the scientific community, publications typically allow for 0-25% textual overlap, acknowledging the challenges of achieving complete uniqueness. While some may find it surprising that this range starts from zero, it's a reflection of the reality that certain standard statements are pervasive across research, diminishing absolute uniqueness. Notably, prestigious journals, particularly those with high Scopus or WoS scores, maintain rigorous standards, prioritizing the publication of exceptionally unique content.

Each scientific publication establishes its own criteria regarding plagiarism and self-plagiarism. For instance, within our publishing house, journals indexed in Scopus maintain a tolerance of 10-15%, while category B professional journals allow for 15-20% overlap. Monographs, serving as comprehensive summaries of authors' research, often encounter pre-existing content, leading to an acceptable threshold of 20-25% for plagiarism and self-plagiarism.

However, it's imperative to recognize that uniqueness assessments undergo rigorous scrutiny by experts. If, for instance, the permitted threshold of 10-25% overlaps within the study results, or if the entire content derives from a single source, the work may be deemed non-unique. Such instances raise concerns about the scientific novelty of the work, highlighting the importance of maintaining integrity and originality in academic writing.