NBME maintains strict standards for originality and proper attribution through comprehensive plagiarism detection and prevention measures aligned with international best practices.

Plagiarism Definition: Plagiarism encompasses any form of unauthorized appropriation including verbatim copying without attribution, paraphrasing without citation, self-plagiarism through duplicate publication, idea appropriation without acknowledgment, and unauthorized collaboration or ghostwriting.

Detection Systems: Comprehensive plagiarism screening includes:

• Automated similarity detection using professional software (iThenticate/Turnitin)
• Cross-referencing against international publication databases
• Manual expert review for subtle forms of appropriation
• Reference verification and citation analysis
• Author self-declaration requirements regarding originality

Screening Thresholds: Similarity analysis employs nuanced interpretation considering:

• Overall similarity percentages above 15% trigger detailed editorial review
• Individual matches exceeding 5% require specific justification
• Field-specific conventions for methodology descriptions and standard terminology
• Appropriate citation and quotation practices in context
• Previous work by the same authors with proper self-citation

Investigation Procedures: Suspected plagiarism triggers systematic investigation including:

• Comprehensive evidence documentation and source identification
• Author notification with opportunity for explanation and clarification
• Expert panel review for complex cases requiring disciplinary expertise
• Institutional notification for confirmed violations
• Collaboration with other publishers for systematic violators

Sanctions and Remedies: Plagiarism violations result in graduated responses including:

• Manuscript rejection with detailed explanation for moderate violations
• Publication retraction with permanent notice for published articles
• Author submission restrictions for specified periods based on violation severity
• Institutional notification for severe or repeated violations
• Collaboration with integrity organizations for systematic misconduct

Educational Support: NBME provides proactive education including detailed guidelines on proper citation practices, workshops on academic integrity standards, resources for international authors unfamiliar with Western citation conventions, and mentorship support for early-career researchers developing scholarly writing skills.