CONTEMPLATING RETRACTION: SIMILARITY CONCERNS ARISE FOR PUBLISHED PAPER IN PRESTIGIOUS JOURNAL
The Editorial Office of a renowned journal is grappling with the decision of whether to retract a paper published in 2022 due to striking similarities with the authors' prior work from 2019. The issue came to light following feedback from a third party, prompting an internal audit by the Editorial Office.
During the peer-review process of the 2022 paper, one reviewer and an associate recommended rejection, signaling potential concerns early on. Despite this, the Editor-in-Chief ultimately greenlit the paper for publication, leading to raised eyebrows within the journal's editorial board.
COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines advise a careful evaluation of the situation. The editors must determine whether the 2022 article offers sufficient originality to warrant publication or if it constitutes unethical practices such as duplication or salami slicing.
A distinction must be made between a change of opinion within the editorial team and fundamental flaws in the initial decision-making process. If the 2022 paper indeed lacks novelty and merely rehashes existing data or analysis from the 2019 publication, retraction may be necessary. Alternatively, if the paper is deemed a case of salami slicing, where data is fragmented across multiple publications, authors could be invited to submit a letter referencing their earlier work instead.
Further considerations include confirming permission for the reproduction of material from the 2019 article, assessing potential conflicts of interest between authors and editors/reviewers, and, if needed, issuing an Expression of Concern to provide transparency regarding the editorial decision.
The journal faces a critical juncture as it navigates the delicate balance between upholding research integrity and ensuring due diligence in scholarly publishing.
