Plagiarism Policy

Plagiarism Policy & AI Guidelines

Plagiarism Limits: SJJLR maintains zero tolerance for academic misconduct. All manuscripts are screened using DrillBit before entering the peer-review stage. For screening purposes, only the main body text is evaluated (title page, abstract, keywords, citations, and references are excluded).

Overall Similarity Index	Editorial Decision
Up to 10%	Eligible to proceed to the editorial screening and double-blind peer-review process.
More than 10% and up to 15%	Subject to editorial evaluation; authors may be required to revise and resubmit an updated report.
Above 15%	Deemed non-compliant and rejected without entering the peer-review process.

Plagiarism Standards: Simultaneous submissions, self-plagiarism, duplicate/redundant publication, or fabrication/falsification of data are strictly prohibited. If misconduct is discovered post-publication, the journal reserves the right to issue corrections or formal retractions.
Policy on Artificial Intelligence (AI): Manuscripts created wholly or predominantly through AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot) are ineligible for publication. AI tools may only be used for limited editorial assistance (correcting grammar or spelling). Contributors must transparently disclose any AI-assisted support in their cover letter at the time of submission.

Manuscripts Not Considered for Publication

SJJLR will immediately decline manuscripts that fall under the following categories:

Containing plagiarism, data fabrication, or ethical misconduct.
Content that promotes or incites discrimination, hatred, violence, or prejudice on the basis of caste, religion, language, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, or sexual orientation.
Material infringing copyright or violating the privacy and legal rights of individuals.
Advertorial, promotional, political, or commercially sponsored content.
Manuscripts obtained through fee-based solicitation or generated substantially by automated AI tools without disclosure.
Work falling outside the journal’s scope, aims, or academic standards.

Submission Process

Documents to Upload

Authors must upload the following separate files at the time of submission:

Main Manuscript (.docx): Anonymized document containing the title, abstract, keywords, main text, and Works Cited. It must contain no author-identifying indicators.
Title Page (.docx): Document containing the full title, author names, institutional affiliations, contact numbers, email addresses, and ORCID iDs.
Similarity Report (PDF): A recent DrillBit Similarity Report (or another institutionally approved plagiarism report) showing the overall similarity index. (Note: The editorial office will cross-verify this report during initial screening).
Cover Letter (Recommended): A document introducing the manuscript, confirming its originality, explaining its scholarly significance, and disclosing any AI tools utilized.

Submission Readiness Checklist

Before completing your online submission, verify the following:

Prepared in standard typography with 1.5 line spacing, fully justified text, and correct page numbers.
The title is written entirely in English, is concise, does not exceed 12 words, and is free from unnecessary symbols.
An abstract of 150–250 words is provided in academic English along with 5–7 keywords separated by semicolons.
The main manuscript file is fully anonymized for double-blind peer review.
All citations and references conform consistently to the MLA Handbook (9th edition).
The manuscript complies with the journal’s similarity index thresholds, and the report is enclosed.
The work is original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere.
Any AI usage is fully disclosed in the cover letter, and authors agree to abide by the Publication Ethics and Terms of the journal.

Review and Editorial Workflow

All manuscripts undergo a transparent, double-blind peer review process where the identities of both authors and reviewers remain completely confidential. Submissions are first checked by the Editorial Office for scope compatibility, ethical alignment, and similarity metrics. Compliant manuscripts are forwarded to at least two independent subject experts. Reviewers evaluate submissions based on originality, methodological soundness, and scholarly contribution. The final publication decision rests entirely with the Editorial Board, led by the Editor-in-Chief.

Post-Submission Timeline and Stages

STAGE	TIMELINE	DESCRIPTION
Initial Screening	Within 7 days	The Editorial Office checks scope alignment, formatting compliance, and cross-verifies the DrillBit/Turnitin similarity report. Non-compliant submissions are returned.
Double-Blind Peer Review	2–3 weeks	The anonymized manuscript is assigned to at least two independent expert reviewers.
Editorial Decision	Following review	Based on expert recommendations, the board issues a status: Accept without revisions, Accept with minor revisions, Accept with major revisions (requires re-evaluation), or Reject.
Author Revisions (if required)	1–2 weeks	The author uploads the revised manuscript alongside a point-by-point Response to Reviewers document.
Final Decision	~5–7 weeks total	The editorial team evaluates the revised manuscript and issues a definitive final decision.