Zhongnan University of Economics and Law's Measures for Handling Fraudulent Activities in Degree Theses

Article 1: To standardize the management of academic theses at our university, promote a good academic atmosphere, and seriously deal with fraudulent activities in thesis writing, these measures are formulated in accordance with the Ministry of Education's regulations on handling fraudulent activities in academic theses.

Article 2: The doctoral, master's, and bachelor's theses submitted for degree applications at our university, if found to be fraudulent as defined by these measures, will be dealt with according to the provisions of these measures.

Article 3: Fraudulent activities in academic theses include buying or selling theses, organizing the trade of theses, having someone else write or writing a thesis for someone else, plagiarizing others' works and academic achievements, fabricating data, and other serious acts of academic fraud.

Article 4: If a candidate's thesis is found to have been purchased, ghostwritten, plagiarized, or contains fabricated data and this is confirmed upon investigation, their degree application will be revoked. If a degree has already been awarded, it will be revoked in severe cases, and the degree certificate will be annulled. Decisions to revoke degree applications or degrees will be publicly announced. For at least three years from the date of the decision, the university will not accept any degree applications from these individuals.

Article 5: Electronic versions of all types of theses must undergo plagiarism detection through systems like CNKI and Wanfang Data, with a plagiarism percentage, excluding self-citations, not exceeding 15%.

Article 6: Doctoral and master's theses are subject to two rounds of plagiarism checks organized by the Graduate School, one before blind review and one after defense. Those exceeding the limit will be dealt with as follows: Delayed defense for half a year if exceeding 15% before blind review; a three-year ban on degree applications or revocation of degree application qualification for severe cases after defense.

Article 7: Bachelor's theses undergo one plagiarism check organized by the respective departments, with similar penalties for exceeding plagiarism thresholds.

Article 8: Decisions to delay or revoke degree applications or degrees due to fraudulent thesis activities will be made in accordance with the university's degree awarding procedures, reviewed and approved by the university's degree committee, and publicly announced.

Article 9: Decisions regarding students will be communicated through their respective colleges within two working days of the decision.

Article 10: Students may appeal decisions within two working days of receiving them. The college will review the thesis and detection results and, if there are objections, report to the university's degree office. The degree office will organize a review and provide feedback within two working days.

Article 11: Other individuals or units within the university clearly responsible for fraudulent activities in theses, not specified in these measures, will be dealt with seriously according to relevant regulations of the Ministry of Education.

Article 12: These measures are interpreted by the university's degree committee and are effective from the date of publication.