Zero Tolerance Statement. Journal of Social Cognition and Communication maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding plagiarism. All manuscripts must be original and not previously published.

1. Definition of Plagiarism

Plagiarism includes verbatim copying, mosaic plagiarism, self-plagiarism (text recycling), and misappropriation of ideas or data from others without proper acknowledgement.

2. Plagiarism Detection & Similarity Limits

Submitted manuscripts may be screened using similarity-checking tools. The journal applies the following benchmarks:

• Overall similarity: < 20%
• Single-source similarity: < 5%

• Manuscripts with an overall similarity score higher than 20% may be returned to authors for revision or rejected immediately.
• Overlap with a single source must not exceed 5%, even if the total score is low.
• Editorial judgment is final. Higher scores may be accepted for Methodology sections if appropriately cited, while lower scores may still constitute plagiarism if core ideas are stolen.

Similarity reports identify overlapping text, not plagiarism by themselves. Editors assess the sources, quotation, attribution and context, and consider an author’s explanation before deciding the appropriate response.

3. Actions and Consequences

If similarity levels exceed the permitted thresholds or plagiarism is confirmed:

• Pre-publication: Rejection and potential notification to the author's institution.
• Post-publication: The editor considers the evidence and appropriate action, including a correction or retraction when warranted.

Academic Integrity

Authors must quote, paraphrase and cite sources accurately. Similarity scores are screening indicators; editors assess the source, attribution and context of overlapping material.