Anti-Plagiarism Policy

Lentera Masyarakat Hukum is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and originality. Plagiarism, in any form, is considered a serious violation of publication ethics and is not tolerated.

All manuscripts submitted to the journal must be original works and must appropriately acknowledge the ideas, words, data, arguments, images, and other intellectual contributions of others.

1. Definition of Plagiarism

For the purposes of this policy, plagiarism refers to the presentation of another person's or source's intellectual work as one's own without appropriate acknowledgment.

Plagiarism may include, but is not limited to:

  • Direct plagiarism — copying words, sentences, paragraphs, or other material without quotation and appropriate citation;

  • Mosaic or patchwork plagiarism — combining or modifying passages from one or more sources without adequate attribution;

  • Paraphrasing plagiarism — substantially rephrasing another author's ideas or arguments without appropriate citation;

  • Idea plagiarism — using another person's original ideas, concepts, arguments, models, or findings without acknowledgment;

  • Data or evidence plagiarism — using another researcher's data, tables, figures, or empirical materials without appropriate permission or attribution;

  • Translation plagiarism — translating material from another language and presenting it as original work without proper citation;

  • Self-plagiarism or inappropriate text recycling — reusing substantial portions of an author's previously published work without appropriate disclosure or justification; and

  • Duplicate or redundant publication — substantially reproducing previously published work as a new publication without appropriate disclosure.

Plagiarism may occur regardless of whether the source is a journal article, book, thesis, conference paper, website, legal document, unpublished manuscript, dataset, or other source.

2. Similarity Screening

All submitted manuscripts may be screened using an appropriate plagiarism or similarity-detection system as part of the journal's editorial process.

Similarity scores are used as an initial screening indicator and not as the sole basis for determining plagiarism. Editors may assess the context, location, nature, and source of the similarities.

Legitimate similarities, such as commonly used legal terminology, standard methodological descriptions, properly quoted material, references, titles, legislation, or other unavoidable expressions, may not constitute plagiarism.

The final determination regarding suspected plagiarism rests with the Editorial Team based on the circumstances of each case.

3. Screening Procedure

Plagiarism screening may be conducted:

  1. during the initial editorial assessment;

  2. before a manuscript is sent for peer review;

  3. during the revision process;

  4. before final acceptance or publication; and

  5. after publication when a credible concern is raised.

The journal reserves the right to conduct additional similarity checks whenever necessary to protect the integrity of the publication process.

4. Acceptable Use of Sources

Authors must appropriately distinguish their own contributions from ideas, arguments, evidence, and language derived from other sources.

Authors are required to:

  • provide accurate citations for borrowed ideas and information;

  • use quotation marks and appropriate references for direct quotations;

  • provide citations when substantially paraphrasing another author's work;

  • acknowledge sources of data, figures, tables, images, and other materials;

  • obtain permission where required for copyrighted material; and

  • accurately represent the original meaning of cited sources.

Authors should not rely on citation alone when directly reproducing substantial text. Direct quotations must be clearly identified and appropriately referenced.

5. Self-Plagiarism and Text Recycling

Authors must disclose any substantial overlap between a submitted manuscript and their previously published or publicly disseminated work.

Limited reuse of methodological descriptions, definitions, or other necessary material may be acceptable where appropriately disclosed and cited. However, substantial reuse of previously published text, arguments, data, or findings without proper attribution may constitute self-plagiarism, redundant publication, or duplicate publication.

The Editorial Board will evaluate such cases based on the extent, purpose, transparency, and scholarly significance of the reused material.

6. Plagiarism in Legal Scholarship

Because Lentera Masyarakat Hukum publishes legal and socio-legal scholarship, authors must exercise particular care when using:

  • legislation and regulations;

  • judicial decisions and case law;

  • legal doctrines;

  • legal opinions;

  • policy documents;

  • government publications;

  • customary or community-based legal materials; and

  • other legal sources.

The use of legal authorities or publicly available legal language does not automatically constitute plagiarism. However, authors must accurately identify and cite the source of legal arguments, interpretations, scholarly commentary, and original formulations derived from other authors.

7. Plagiarism and Generative AI

The use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies does not exempt authors from the journal's originality and attribution requirements.

Authors remain responsible for ensuring that AI-assisted content does not reproduce unattributed material from existing sources.

Generative AI must not be used to:

  • fabricate citations or references;

  • generate false quotations;

  • conceal the source of copied material;

  • paraphrase another author's work for the purpose of avoiding plagiarism detection; or

  • otherwise facilitate academic misconduct.

The use of generative AI must comply with the journal's Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies Policy.

8. Action Before Publication

If substantial plagiarism or inappropriate text reuse is identified before publication, the journal may take one or more of the following actions depending on the severity of the case:

  • request clarification from the authors;

  • request appropriate correction and citation;

  • require substantial revision;

  • reject the manuscript;

  • prohibit resubmission for a specified period where appropriate; or

  • refer the matter to the author's institution or other relevant authority when necessary.

Minor and unintentional citation or attribution problems may be addressed through revision where the Editorial Team determines that the issue does not constitute serious misconduct.

9. Action After Publication

If plagiarism is identified after publication, the journal will assess the nature and severity of the suspected misconduct.

Depending on the circumstances, the journal may:

  • publish a correction;

  • publish an expression of concern;

  • amend the published record where appropriate;

  • retract the article;

  • notify the relevant institution or authority; or

  • take other measures necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Any retraction or correction will be clearly identified and linked to the original publication.

10. Author Responsibility

The responsibility for the originality and proper attribution of a manuscript rests primarily with the authors.

By submitting a manuscript to Lentera Masyarakat Hukum, authors confirm that:

  • the manuscript is their original work;

  • all sources have been appropriately acknowledged;

  • no substantial part of the manuscript has been improperly copied from another source;

  • any reused material has been appropriately disclosed and cited; and

  • the manuscript is not being simultaneously submitted or considered for publication elsewhere.

Authors are expected to retain appropriate documentation supporting the originality and provenance of their work.

11. Editorial Responsibility

The Editorial Board is responsible for implementing reasonable procedures to detect and address plagiarism while ensuring that allegations are handled fairly and objectively.

Similarity reports will not be interpreted mechanically. Editors will consider the context and scholarly nature of the identified similarities before making an editorial decision.

The journal is committed to protecting both the integrity of its publications and the rights of authors against unfounded allegations of plagiarism.

12. Commitment to Academic Integrity

Lentera Masyarakat Hukum considers originality, accurate attribution, and responsible scholarship fundamental requirements for publication.

The journal encourages authors to practice careful citation, transparent scholarship, and responsible use of existing knowledge. Allegations of plagiarism will be treated seriously and investigated in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement.