DUPLICATE SUBMISSION AND PUBLICATION UNCOVERED IN ACADEMIC JOURNALS
A recent incident in academic publishing has uncovered a case of duplicate submission and publication, raising concerns about integrity and ethical standards in research dissemination.
In this case, an identical paper was simultaneously submitted to two different journals, despite the authors' signed declaration stating otherwise. The issue came to light when one journal's associate editor received the paper for review from the editor of the other journal. Additionally, the paper cited two previous publications by the same authors, which were found to be duplicates of each other through a PUBMED search.
Upon discovery, both journals withdrew the paper from the review process and requested an explanation from the authors. In response, the authors apologized, attributing the error to "hurry and inattentiveness" and requesting the withdrawal of the paper.
Interestingly, this is not the authors' first offense, as a previous episode of duplicate submission was also uncovered. Although the authors claimed it was unintentional, they failed to provide a detailed explanation for their actions.
Given the recurring nature of the issue, the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) advises informing the dean or head of the authors' institution. Despite the head of department being one of the co-authors, it is crucial to take further action to address the misconduct and prevent future occurrences.
The editor of one journal has decided to monitor the authors closely in the future, emphasizing the importance of vigilance in upholding publication integrity. Additionally, it is recommended to alert the institution to the possibility of other cases and to maintain transparency with the involved journals.
This case underscores the importance of adherence to ethical guidelines in academic publishing and the need for accountability to maintain trust and integrity within the research community.
