There are several different issues pertaining to publication ethics. The
list that follows explains how the major publication ethics committees will
respond to each issue.
Redundant Publication (without previously citing earlier article)
- Depending on the degree of overlap, the article may be retracted. The author of the article and editor of the previous journal are contacted. --
Committee on Publication Ethics
- Without notification to the journal, editorial action will be taken.
Rejection of manuscript is likely. -- International Committee of Medical
Journal Editors
- Must have written statement saying the article was already published. Ask
author for explanation and if not satisfactory contact funding university or
institution. -- World Association of Medical Editors
Multiple Submissions
- Depending on the degree of overlap, the article may not be considered. The
author is contacted and shown the statement they signed declaring the work is
their own and has not been published elsewhere. -- Committee on Publication
Ethics
- Duplicate submissions will not be considered due to possible copyright
issues and possible duplicate publications. -- International Committee of
Medical Journal Editors
- At the time of submission, authors must note all related papers they have
written, are in press or are currently in review. -- World Association of
Medical Editors
Plagiarism
- Author of plagiarized article is contacted. The article may be retracted
and the funding institution may be contacted, depending on the severity of the
case.-- Committee on Publication Ethics
- Previously written papers are not accepted. Editors will, at the least,
reject the article and/or issue a retraction. -- International Committee of
Medical Journal Editors
- Plagiarism is viewed as a form of scientific misconduct. The journal will
publish a statement of plagiarism without authors approval. Depending on
severity of the case, the article may be retracted. -- World Association of
Medical Editors
Conflict of Interest
- Must obtain signed statement from author about relevant conflicts of
interest. -- Committee on Publication Ethics
- All individuals involved (authors, peer reviewers, etc.) must disclose all
potential conflicts of interest. Editor may choose to not consider certain
articles based on conflicts of interest or publish information about conflicts
with the article. -- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors
- All conflicts of interest must be declared in writing. Editors can decide
if the integrity of article is compromised and issue a correction if needed. --
World Association of Medical Editors
Authorship
- If authorship is suspect, a list of the contributions of individuals can
be requested. If needed, editors may ask that an author be removed, but all
other authors must agree. -- Committee on Publication Ethics
- "An author must take responsibility for at least one component of the
work, should be able to identify who is responsible for each other component,
and should ideally be confident in their co-authors ability and
integrity.â All authorship decisions must be agreed upon by the entire
group of authors. -- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors
- Authorship should include the following: contributing to the work, writing
some portion of the paper and reviewing the paper. Author contributions should
be included in the submitted paper. Guidlelines of the ICMJE are referenced. --
World Association of Medical Editors
When is Duplication Acceptable?
- Direct translations of research papers
- Limited amount of duplication by same authors for review papers or updates
in some circumstances
- Limited amount of duplication of research methods by different authors
Responsibility
Committee on Publications Ethics Code of Conduct:
- Editors of biomedical journals should be responsible for everything
published in their journals.
- They should strive to meet the needs of readers and authors; constantly
improve the journal; ensure the quality of the material they publish; champion
freedom of expression in science and health care; maintain the integrity of the
scientific record; preclude business needs from compromising intellectual
standards; and always be willing to publish corrections, clarifications,
retractions, and apologies when needed.
- Any deviation from this code of conduct could be misconduct and should be
pursued in the first instance through the journalâs complaints procedure.
If the matter is unresolved, a complaint may be referred to COPE.
http://publicationethics.org/code-conduct
Violations of Good Research Practices (by authors)
Classifying Ethical Violations In Scientific Journals (by authors)
- Describing data or artifacts that do not exist
- Describing documents or objects that have been forged
- Misrepresenting real data, or deliberately distorted evidence or data
- Presenting another's ideas or text without attribution (plagiarism)
- Misrepresenting authorship by omitting an author
- Misrepresenting authorship by including a noncontributing author
- Misrepresenting publication status
- Lafollette, Marcel C. Stealing into Print. Beckley and Los Angeles,
California:
U of California P, 1992.
Resources
Learn more about the ethics of scientific publications through these
resources:
- The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)- a committee in the UK designed
to maintain the integrity of research publications. Their website,
www.publicationethics.org, contains numerous resources for authors, including a
Code of Conduct, flowcharts, guidelines and presentations. Some resources
require membership to the group.
- The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)- A group of
editors who have created a list of Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts. The
group began back in 1978 and continues to meet once a year to discuss the
requirements. Their website, www.icmje.org, has a section dedicated to the
ethics of publishing, and a rules and guidelines section discussing publishing
issues, including copyright and overlapping publications.
- The World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)- an international
nonprofit association of journal editors that promotes a number of ethical and
editorial standards. A complete list of their goals can be found on
www.wame.org. It includes many resources for journal editors, including a whole
section dedicated to publication ethics.
- Some journals are popular and widespread enough to create their own
guidelines. The American Medical Association has written and updated their AMA
Manual of Style to guide authors of AMA-operated journals (such as the Journal
of the American Medical Association) as well as all kinds of scientific
writers. The website is dedicated to members only, but the book can often times
be found in a library near you. Iverson, Cheryl. AMA Manual of Style: a Guide
for Authors and Editors. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2007. Print.
- The Office of Research Integrity (ORI)- A division of the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services that aims to maintain scientific integrity during
the research process. http://ori.dhhs.gov outlines compliance programs that the
office administers, resources for handling research misconduct and different
policies pertaining to the federal government, Public Health Service, and the
ORI.