Originality, Plagiarism, Duplicate Publication and Preprints

Originality and Prior Publication

Manuscripts submitted to the Journal of Leadership in Sport and Management (JLSM) must represent original scholarly work and must not have been formally published elsewhere in substantially the same form.

Submission of a manuscript confirms that the work is not simultaneously under consideration for publication by another journal.

Authors are responsible for informing the journal about closely related manuscripts, previous publications, preprints, conference materials, reports, datasets, or other outputs where these are relevant to evaluating the originality of the submission.

Plagiarism

JLSM does not tolerate plagiarism.

Authors must appropriately acknowledge the ideas, words, data, figures, tables, methods, and other intellectual contributions of others. Material reproduced verbatim must be clearly identified and cited in accordance with scholarly conventions and applicable copyright requirements.

Plagiarism may include unattributed copying of text, ideas, data or other material, as well as misleading presentation of another person’s work as one’s own.

Where plagiarism is suspected before publication, the journal may suspend editorial processing while the matter is investigated. Confirmed serious plagiarism may result in rejection.

If significant plagiarism is identified after publication, JLSM may issue a correction, retraction, or other appropriate notice depending on the nature and extent of the problem.

Text Similarity and Screening

JLSM may use similarity-detection software and other editorial methods to identify potentially inappropriate overlap.

A similarity score alone does not establish plagiarism. Any identified overlap will be evaluated in context, taking into account the nature, extent, source, attribution, and scholarly significance of the material concerned.

Editorial decisions will not be based solely on an automated similarity percentage.

Text Recycling

Limited reuse of an author’s own previously published wording may sometimes be unavoidable, particularly when describing standard methods or established procedures. However, substantial or misleading reuse of previously published material without appropriate attribution is not acceptable.

Authors should cite relevant previous publications and disclose substantial overlap when it could affect assessment of the originality of the submitted work.

Duplicate and Redundant Publication

JLSM does not permit duplicate or redundant publication of substantially the same research findings without appropriate disclosure and legitimate justification.

Dividing one study into multiple publications in a manner that results in substantial unjustified overlap or misleading fragmentation of the evidence should be avoided.

Secondary publication may be considered in exceptional circumstances when it serves a legitimate scholarly purpose, complies with applicable publication standards and copyright requirements, and is fully disclosed to and approved by the journal.

Preprints

JLSM permits manuscripts that have previously been posted on recognised preprint servers.

Posting a manuscript as a preprint does not constitute prior formal publication and does not, by itself, prevent consideration by JLSM.

Authors should disclose the existence of a relevant preprint during submission and provide its DOI or URL where available.

Following publication in JLSM, authors are encouraged to update the preprint record to include the citation and DOI of the published Version of Record.

Conference Abstracts and Presentations

Previous presentation of research at a scientific conference, including publication of an abstract, poster, or presentation materials, does not normally prevent submission to JLSM.

Authors should disclose relevant previous dissemination when substantial material from the submitted manuscript has already been made publicly available.

A previously published full conference paper may constitute prior publication depending on its extent, copyright status, and degree of overlap with the submitted manuscript. Authors should disclose such material at submission so that the editor can assess the circumstances.

Theses, Dissertations and Institutional Repositories

The availability of research in a master’s thesis, doctoral dissertation, or institutional repository does not normally prevent consideration by JLSM.

Authors should disclose the source where relevant and ensure that submission and subsequent publication do not violate existing copyright or institutional obligations.

Investigation of Overlap

When potentially inappropriate overlap is identified, JLSM may request an explanation and relevant source materials from the authors.

The journal will distinguish legitimate prior dissemination, appropriately cited reuse, and methodological similarity from plagiarism or redundant publication.

Where serious concerns remain, JLSM may follow relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and take action under its Publication Ethics and Research Integrity Policy.