Q: How should I revise my paper so that it clears plagiarism check at the journal end?

Series:
Part
02
-
Detailed Question -

My paper was rejected by a SCI journal because the plagiarism check percentage was 19%. I have revised the paper as much as possible. How should I revise it further so that I can clear the journal's plagiarism check? Thank you!

1 Answer to this question
Answer:

I understand your problem. It can sometimes be very difficult for a non-native speaker of English to rephrase English text in his or her own words. Since you have revised the paper further after the plagiarism check, the percentage of plagiarized content would surely have gone down. However, if you are still not confident of this, you could take the help of a plagiarism check service or some academic writing tools or software that offer plagiarism check. There are several such options available online, for istance, iThenticate, PlagTracker, Viper, etc. Some sites even offer free plagiarism check, which might help you find out if your paper still has a substantial amount of plagiarized content. If you feel that the percentage is still high, you would need to revise your paper once again. 

When revising your paper, remember the following:

  • Always cite the source when you are borrowing a concept or an idea from another paper, even if you have summarized it in your own words.
  • If you are using the same words as that of the source material, always use quotation marks.
  • Even if you are using a concept or idea from one of your own previously published papers, you need to cite the source; else, this will be considered as self-plagiarism.

Finally, if possible, request a colleague or a friend who is a native speaker of English to help you with rephrasing. Alternatively, you could consider taking professional help. Editage also has a plagiarism check service.

You might also be interested in knowing How much do journal editors rely on plagiarism detection software?