SAY NO TO PLAGIARISM

SAY NO TO PLAGIARISM EDITORIAL: Say No to Cut and Paste – IJPPR’s Stand Against Plagiarism

Globalization and technological advancements form the backbone of modern society, driving rapid transformations across various fields. These sweeping changes have inevitably impacted academia, challenging the integrity of intellectual pursuits. The ease of information access has blurred the lines between knowledge dissemination and ethical

research practices, making it crucial for researchers, institutions, and publications to uphold academic integrity.

The fundamental objective of any scientific or medical journal is to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and innovation in its respective fields. However, the rise of unethical research practices—such as multiple article submissions, duplicate publications, data plagiarism, and self-plagiarism—poses a significant threat. These practices not only damage the reputation of authors and journals but also undermine the credibility of the research community as a whole. Despite continued efforts to combat misconduct, scientific retractions have increased nearly tenfold over the past three decades. The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and journal editors bear the responsibility of maintaining academic integrity, necessitating rigorous peer review and data verification procedures to identify and rectify any inconsistencies.

At IJPPR, we take this responsibility seriously. Our commitment to publishing only original, non-plagiarized research aligns with the principle that "it is better to prevent wrongdoing than to deal with it after publication," as recently stated in Nature. In line with this philosophy, all submissions undergo plagiarism detection immediately upon receipt. Even after peer review acceptance, articles remain provisionally approved until thorough data verification is completed.

India ranks 10th globally in terms of dental research publications, with 2,296 papers. However, its H-index—a metric that reflects both the quantity and impact of a researcher’s work—stands at only 25. In contrast, the United States and the United Kingdom ranked first and second, boasting significantly higher H-indices of 137 and 92, respectively, despite publishing 22,969 and 8,069 papers. Switzerland, with only 1,887 publications (ranking 14th), maintains a high H-index of 77, highlighting its superior research quality. Alarmingly, countries such as Chile, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Ghana have a higher average publication quality than India, as measured by citation impact. This indicates that while India excels in research quantity, the quality of its scientific output remains a concern.

The proliferation of research institutions and universities in India has not necessarily translated into groundbreaking scientific advancements. The situation mirrors the saying: "You can put millions of farmers to work, but a green revolution requires actual scientists." Similarly, an increase in the number of publications does not equate to an improvement in research standards. The reality presents a pressing need for quality-driven academic contributions rather than mere numerical growth.