Oncology Network for Comprehensive Outcomes upholds the highest standards of academic integrity and applies a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism. All submitted manuscripts are screened for originality prior to the peer-review process.

1. Screening Process

Each manuscript is screened using industry-standard plagiarism detection software, including iThenticate (Crossref Similarity Check) or Turnitin. The screening is conducted in two stages:

• Initial Stage: Immediately after manuscript submission.

• Final Stage: Prior to publication, after all revisions have been completed.

2. Similarity Threshold

The Editorial Board evaluates similarity reports according to the following criteria:

• Low Similarity (Similarity < 20%)
  The manuscript is considered to have acceptable originality and may proceed to peer review.

• Moderate Similarity (Similarity 21%–25%)
  The manuscript is returned to the authors for clarification, proper citation, or paraphrasing of sections with high similarity.

• High Similarity (Similarity > 25%)
  The manuscript will be immediately rejected (desk rejection) due to failure to meet originality standards.

In addition, even if the overall similarity is low, any single-source similarity exceeding 3% requires authors to revise the text and provide appropriate citations.

3. Prohibited Forms of Plagiarism

This policy covers all forms of plagiarism, including but not limited to:

• Direct Plagiarism: Copying text from another work without quotation marks and proper citation.

• Self-Plagiarism: Reusing substantial parts of one’s own previously published work without proper reference.

• Structural or Idea Plagiarism: Appropriating unique concepts, frameworks, or findings from other researchers without proper attribution, even if extensively paraphrased.

4. Actions in Case of Misconduct

If intentional or serious plagiarism is identified:

• During the Review Process: The manuscript will be rejected, and the authors will receive an official warning.

• After Publication: If plagiarism is reported post-publication, the journal will conduct a formal investigation following COPE guidelines, which may result in article retraction and notification of the authors’ affiliated institutions.