Plagiarism Policy

Digital Health & Telemonitoring Advances (DHTA) is committed to maintaining high standards of academic integrity, originality, transparency, and ethical scholarly publishing.

1. Commitment to Academic Integrity

Digital Health & Telemonitoring Advances (DHTA) requires all submitted manuscripts to represent original scholarly work. Authors are responsible for ensuring that all sources, ideas, text, data, figures, tables, and other materials derived from previously published or unpublished work are appropriately acknowledged and cited.

2. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism is considered a serious breach of publication ethics. It may include, but is not limited to:

  • Using another person's text, data, images, figures, tables, or ideas without appropriate citation or permission where required.

  • Copying or closely paraphrasing previously published material without proper acknowledgment.

  • Presenting another person's work or ideas as one's own.

  • Reusing substantial portions of an author's own previously published work without appropriate citation, disclosure, or justification (self-plagiarism/text recycling).

  • Duplicate or redundant publication of substantially the same work without appropriate disclosure.

  • Inappropriate use of AI-generated content without disclosure where disclosure is required under the journal's policies.

3. Plagiarism and Similarity Screening

Manuscripts submitted to DHTA may be screened using plagiarism/similarity-detection software, such as Turnitin or an equivalent similarity-checking tool, as part of the editorial assessment process.

Similarity reports are evaluated by the editorial team and are not used as the sole basis for an editorial decision. Editors consider the nature, source, extent, and context of any identified overlap.

A similarity index above 20% may trigger additional editorial review. However, the percentage alone does not automatically establish plagiarism. Properly quoted material, references, standard methodological terminology, and other legitimate similarities may be excluded from consideration where appropriate.

Depending on the nature and extent of the overlap, the journal may:

  • Request clarification from the authors.

  • Require revision and proper citation.

  • Reject the manuscript where substantial plagiarism or unethical overlap is confirmed.

  • Take further action in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policies.

4. Author Responsibilities

Authors submitting manuscripts to DHTA are expected to:

  • Submit original work.

  • Cite and acknowledge all relevant sources appropriately.

  • Obtain permission for copyrighted material where required.

  • Clearly disclose substantial reuse of previously published material.

  • Disclose the use of generative artificial intelligence or AI-assisted tools where required by the journal's AI policy.

  • Confirm that the manuscript is not simultaneously under consideration by another journal.

  • Disclose any closely related, previously published, or submitted manuscripts that may overlap with the submission.

5. Action in Cases of Suspected or Confirmed Plagiarism

If plagiarism or substantial inappropriate overlap is identified before publication, the journal may request an explanation or revision, or reject the manuscript depending on the seriousness of the case.

If plagiarism is identified after publication, the journal will investigate the matter and may issue an appropriate post-publication notice, such as a correction, expression of concern, or retraction, depending on the evidence and severity of the issue.

Published articles will not ordinarily be removed solely because they have been retracted. The scholarly record will be maintained transparently, with the article and any associated notice clearly identified, except in exceptional circumstances where removal is legally or ethically necessary.

In serious cases, and where supported by the evidence and applicable procedures, the journal may contact the authors' institutions or other relevant organizations.

6. Reporting and Investigation

Readers, reviewers, editors, and other stakeholders may report suspected plagiarism or unethical text overlap to the journal.

All credible allegations will be assessed fairly and confidentially. Where appropriate:

  • Relevant evidence will be reviewed.

  • Authors will be given a reasonable opportunity to respond.

  • Editors with conflicts of interest will not participate in the decision.

  • Corrective action will be based on the available evidence and the seriousness of the matter.

DHTA's procedures are guided by recognized principles of publication ethics, including relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

7. Policy Statement

DHTA does not tolerate plagiarism or deliberate misrepresentation of scholarly work. The journal is committed to protecting the integrity of the scholarly record through fair investigation, transparent editorial procedures, and proportionate corrective action.

The journal distinguishes between a similarity score and confirmed plagiarism. Editorial decisions are based on expert assessment of the nature and context of any overlap rather than on a numerical similarity percentage alone.