A Researchers Guide to Ethical Publishing (by Editage Insights)

A Researcher’s Guideto Ethical Publication Powered by

A RESEARCHER’S GUIDE TO ETHICAL PUBLICATION 1 WHAT THIS GUIDE IS ABOUTWith increasing competition, the pressure to publish has also increased. Unfortunately, moreand more researchers are choosing the shorter route and following unethical publicationpractices. As a result, not only do they lose credibility as responsible scientists but sciencealso stands to lose. This document outlines the most common unethical publication practicesand provides tips on how you can avoid them. It also includes answers to some questionsmost frequently asked by researchers about publication ethics.More about the guide: This guide is first being shared with those who pledged theircommitment to following ethical publication practices. Feel free to share this guide withother researchers/students in your institution. We use a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). Under this license, you are free to copy, reuse, share, redistribute, or adapt ourcontent for non-commercial purposes. Do remember to give us appropriate credit and shareour material under the same license. Learn more about the terms of use for the CC-BY-NC-SAlicense.More about the pledge: The pledge is part of Editage’s efforts to promote the awarenessand adoption of ethical publication practices. Do invite your fellow students/colleagues toview our powerful video on the impact of unethical publication practices and pledge theircommitment, too. Here’s the link to the page: https://www.editage.com/pledge-to-publish-ethically/PART 1: TIPS TO AVOID UNETHICAL PUBLICATIONPART 2: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLICATION ETHICS www.editage.com/insights

A RESEARCHER’S GUIDE TO ETHICAL PUBLICATION 2 PART 1TIPS TO AVOID UNETHICAL PUBLICATION Go to FAQs on ethical publication practices www.editage.com/insights

A RESEARCHER’S GUIDE TO ETHICAL PUBLICATION 3To make sure that you publish ethically, it is important for you to not only know about themost common problems related to ethical publication but also to learn how you can avoidthem. Listed below are seven most common ethical problems in academic publishing: 1. Research misconduct 2. Plagiarism 3. Salami slicing 4. Duplicate/simultaneous submission 5. Non-disclosure of conflict of interest 6. Non-adherence to relevant reporting guidelines 7. Irresponsible authorship Problem 1: Research misconductResearch misconduct refers to practices that flout ethical research guidelines. Since thisoccurs at the stage of conducting research itself, it could lead to grave consequences,especially in clinical studies. Tips to avoid research misconduct Register your clinical trial you obtained from the relevant As per the guidelines of the World Health board/committee in your manuscript and Organization (WHO) and Declaration of submit proof of consent to your target Helsinki, researchers must register their journal. clinical trials before enrolling participants. So if your study reports a clinical trial,  Get prior written informed consent register it and mention the registration In case of human studies, get written number in your manuscript. informed consent from each subject you enroll. Check if your target journal has Obtain approval from a relevant authority specific forms for this. Mention this, too, in If your study involves human your paper. participants/animal subjects, get the approval of your institutional review board,  Honor the confidentiality of your subjects research ethics committee, etc., for all Remember that all human beings deserve procedures you plan to perform (e.g., the the right to privacy and confidentiality, ARRIVE checklist). Also, if you are using especially when they agree to participate hazardous materials (e.g., dangerous in a scientific study. Ideally, all identifying chemicals), comply with applicable laws or features of all participants should be guidelines. Mention details of the approval removed; only if the research question demands some features to be visible, www.editage.com/insights

A RESEARCHER’S GUIDE TO ETHICAL PUBLICATION 4obtain explicit additional permission from after obtaining written informed consentthe governing ethics board. Do this only from the subjects. Problem 2: PlagiarismPlagiarism, or passing of someone else’s work as your own, is one of the most frequentreasons for paper retraction by journals. Often authors are not even aware that they areplagiarizing from someone else’s research by using the same words, phrases, or evenparagraphs. Tip to avoid plagiarism Always cite all sources of information  Paraphrase Citing is a form of attribution through If you plan to use large chunks of text, which you acknowledge the original paraphrase, i.e., write the same content author. Therefore, you must cite the in your own words, and cite the original source for all information used from source. Some authors use block quotes previous studies. instead of paraphrasing, but it is always better to reword a large amount of text Use quotation marks that you plan to use from the original Quotation marks indicate that you are source. using words from someone else’s work verbatim. Use quotation marks if you are  Obtain permission reproducing words from another When reproducing figures/tables/other publication, even if it is your own past artwork from someone else’s work, work. Also check the in-text citation always obtain permission from the style of your target journal so you cite copyright holder (usually the journal in the source accurately. which the original was published). Problem 3: Salami slicingSalami slicing occurs when researchers divide their research that tells a single cohesive storyinto smaller components and publish them as separate papers. While this boosts the numberof publications to their credit, it could mislead readers and distort literature. www.editage.com/insights

A RESEARCHER’S GUIDE TO ETHICAL PUBLICATION 5 Tips to avoid salami slicing Avoid breaking up your paper unless the  Disclose any overlaps during submission study demands it Submit copies of any overlapping Break up your study only if it is too large studies/datasets at the time of submission, and addresses questions that are distinct or stating reasons for the overlap. Be from completely different perspectives. forthcoming with such information. Problem 4: Multiple/simultaneous submissionSometimes, authors submit their manuscripts to more than one journal at the same time withthe belief that this will save them time and increase their chances of publication. On thecontrary, by doing this authors not only waste the time of multiple editors and reviewers, butthey also risk duplicate publication, i.e., the same paper being published in two journals atonce! Tips to avoid multiple/simultaneous submission Submit to one journal at a time  Have patience Always submit your manuscript to one Do not submit your paper to a new journal journal at a time. If you need to withdraw while you are still waiting to hear from the your submitted manuscript for some reason, first journal. If there is a considerable wait until the first journal confirms delay in the journal’s response, check the withdrawal before you submit to another submission status on the journal’s system journal. and/or write to the editor. Problem 5: Non-disclosure of conflicts of interestA conflict of interest arises whenever there is any potential bias that could affect researchers’work, e.g., because of multiple funding sources or because they stand to gain financially from theresearch publication. The best way to avoid issues of conflict of interest is full disclosure. Tips to avoid conflict of interest Disclose all sources of financial support funding sources, inform your primary Acknowledge all sources of funding or other funder about this; ideally, this should be support for your study in your manuscript done before you write your paper/during and cover letter. In case of multiple the research process itself. www.editage.com/insights

A RESEARCHER’S GUIDE TO ETHICAL PUBLICATION 6 Disclose any specific interest you may travel grants, advisory board memberships, have patents, consultancy, etc. If you stand to gain commercially in any way by publishing your paper, you must  Declare personal or competing disclose this in your paper as well as to relationships your funder. Examples of benefits include, Declare any personal or other relationships that could potentially lead to a competing interest in relation to your work. Problem 6: Non-adherence to relevant reporting guidelinesDepending on the field of study, researchers are expected to adhere to relevant reportingguidelines from their area of study. This ensures that all key aspects of the research studyhave been reported accurately. Tips to follow relevant reporting guidelines Find guidelines and checklists relevant to CONSORT for randomized trials, STROBE for your study epidemiological studies, and PRISMA for For example, if you are conducting medical meta-analyses. Also check if your journal research, check the EQUATOR Network for needs you to submit a checklist for the detailed guidelines for reporting a study reporting guidelines you have followed. design. Other examples include theProblem 7: Authorship issuesOne of the most serious publication ethics breaches is when researchers fail to acknowledgethe right contributors as authors on their paper. This could happen because of intensecompetition or simply because researchers are unaware of who should be acknowledged as anauthor and who should be included in the acknowledgements section. Tips to avoid authorship issues Acknowledge an individual as an author Drafts the paper or modifies it by adding when s/he: important intellectual content Contributes substantially to the conception, design, data collection, data Is willing to be accountable for all analysis, and data interpretation of the aspects of the work study Consents to be listed as an author on the manuscript www.editage.com/insights

A RESEARCHER’S GUIDE TO ETHICAL PUBLICATION 7 Gives approval of all versions to be above criteria (include such contributors submitted to the journal in the acknowledgements section). Refer to the ICMJE authorship criteria for a Who is not an author better understanding. An individual who has contributed to your study in some way but does not meet the Other problems Data falsification/image manipulation  Predatory journals and publishers Sometimes researchers may feel tempted Beware of predatory journals and bogus to fudge data or modify images to show publishers who offer false publication positive results or those that support guarantees. No one can guarantee their hypotheses. Not only is this bad publication. Manuscripts are published science but it also affects reproducibility based on merit alone. Before submitting of scientific methods. Remember that your paper to a journal, make sure you negative results are not bad results; in find out everything about it. The best fact, they give scientific enquiry a way is to choose journals that are well completely new direction. Report your read in your field. data accurately and take responsibility for your work.Overall, it is best to adopt the golden rule of transparency, and avoid succumbing tounethical short cuts to publication. Have patience and believe in yourself. It is fine if you takea while to get published, but never have your publication credibility questioned. www.editage.com/insights

A RESEARCHER’S GUIDE TO ETHICAL PUBLICATION 8 Part 2FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLICATION ETHICS Go back to ethical publication tips www.editage.com/insights

A RESEARCHER’S GUIDE TO ETHICAL PUBLICATION 9In Part 1, we discussed common unethical publication practices and shared tips on how youcould avoid them. Let us now look at some questions researchers commonly have aboutethical publication.Q Can I present my paper that has been translated version of the same article as a accepted by a journal at a conference? secondary publication, with the It is common for researchers to present permission of the editors of both their work both at a conference and as a journals. However, note that most journal submission, and this is generally journals do not permit this, except if the not considered duplicate submission. But study has significant merit for publication in such cases, the conference in the second journal. presentation usually occurs before the journal submission, and only preliminary Q Can I use data and methods from my results are shared at the conference. previously published paper if I cite the After the conference, the study is built source? upon further and the complete findings Yes, you can use some of the data from a are submitted as a journal article. previously published paper, provided you Typically, the journal article should cite the source clearly. But make sure contain at least 30% original material that that your new work is based on an has not been presented before. entirely different research question than the previous study. The two studiesQ Is it plagiarism if two studies use the should be distinct enough to warrant two same text in the methods section? separate publications without being Typically, reviewers and editors accept a considered a case of salami slicing. slightly higher percentage of similar content in the methods section. But to Q Can I submit a journal paper based on avoid plagiarism, you must cite the my thesis that is not yet published? source article in which the methods were This largely depends on where and in first described and reword the text as far what form your thesis is being published. as possible. If it is published by a serious academic publisher and made publicly available,Q Is submitting two similar papers in then you must ensure that the journal different languages duplicate article is published before the thesis. submission or publication? Inform the journal editor at the time of You should not submit two similar papers submission that your article is based on to two different-language journals at the your thesis, mentioning the tentative same time. You should wait till one of the publication date of the thesis. articles is published and then publish a www.editage.com/insights

A RESEARCHER’S GUIDE TO ETHICAL PUBLICATION 10Q Can I submit a modified version of an before you conduct your study. The already submitted paper to a new ethical approval is supposed to be journal? obtained before the study begins. Almost If you want to do this simply to boost all journals have made it mandatory for your publication count, then you’re about every submission to include an ethical to indulge in self-plagiarism and duplicate approval statement. publication. You can submit a new manuscript if it addresses the same Q Is it self-plagiarism if I use an image research question from a completely from one of my previous papers? different angle. You can use an image from a previous paper, provided you keep a few things in  Everything about the second manuscript mind: should be different, from the research question to the discussion and results.  Remember to cite the source of the original image, even if it is your own  Remember to cite your previous paper as paper. a reference.  If you have transferred the copyright to  Whichever option you choose, you should the journal at the time of publication, be transparent and disclose everything. then you have to seek permission from You should mention your published paper the journal before you use it anywhere in the cover letter and abstract, and cite else. the published paper wherever you are using material from it. You should ideally Q What is the threshold amount for attach a copy of the published paper and disclosure of financial conflict of send it to the journal along with your interest? manuscript. Most international journals do not specify a threshold amount to be disclosed forQ The ethical approval for my study is not conflict of interest. Generally, any ready. What should I do? amount more than $5000 is considered Take a step back! The ethical approval significant and should be declared, as per statement from the concerned ethics your funding body’s regulations. committee should be ready with you www.editage.com/insights

A RESEARCHER’S GUIDE TO ETHICAL PUBLICATION 11 References: 1. Declaration of Helsinki. Available from http://www.wma.net/en/20activities/10ethics/10helsinki/ (Accessed on February 12, 2016) 2. World Health Organization International Standards for Clinical Trial Registries. Available from http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/76705/1/9789241504294_eng.pdf (Accessed on February 12, 2016) 3. Ethical Publication Checklist for Authors. Available from https://www.editage.com/files/Checklist-for- Authors-for-Ethical-Publication.pdf (Accessed on February 12, 2016) 4. Research Ethics, Publication Ethics and Good Practice Guidelines. Available from http://www.equator- network.org/library/research-ethics-publication-ethics-and-good-practice-guidelines/ (Accessed on February 12, 2016) 5. Best Practice Guidelines on Publishing Ethics: A Publisher's Perspective. Second Edition. Available from http://exchanges.wiley.com/ethicsguidelines (Accessed on February 12, 2016) 6. Reporting Guidelines for Main Study Types. Available from http://www.equator-network.org/ (Accessed on February 12, 2016) 7. Salami Slicing and Duplicate Publication. Available from http://www.slideshare.net/editage/avoid-salami- slicing-and-duplicate-publication (Accessed on February 12, 2016) 8. Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors. Available from http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and- contributors.html (Accessed on February 12, 2016) 9. PRISMA Statement. Available from http://www.prisma-statement.org/ (Accessed on February 12, 2016) 10. STROBE Statement. Available from http://www.strobe-statement.org/ (Accessed on February 12, 2016) 11. CONSORT Statement. Available from http://www.consort-statement.org/ (Accessed on February 12, 2016) 12. ARRIVE Guidelines. Available from http://www.nc3rs.org.uk/arrive-guidelines (Accessed on February 12, 2016)Register for free with Editage Insights for usefulresources and tips at each stage of the publication cycle.Access Editage Insights in the language of your choiceEnglish: www.editage.com/insights Japanese: www.editage.jp/insightsSimplified Chinese: www.editage.cn/insights Korean: www.editage.co.kr/insightswww.facebook.com/Editage www.twitter.com/Editage www.linkedin.com/company/editage www.editage.com/insights