NOTICE OF CONCERN REGARDING SIMILARITY BETWEEN PUBLISHED PAPERS
Recent developments have brought to light concerns regarding the similarity between two published papers, Paper X in Journal A and Paper Y in Journal B. Approximately a month after the publication of Paper X, readers alerted Journal A to the striking resemblance between the two papers. Despite some superficial differences, both papers share highly similar results and conclusions, with significant overlap in authorship.
Paper X was submitted to Journal A shortly before Paper Y was submitted to Journal B, and Paper X was published approximately three weeks ahead of Paper Y. Notably, additional results presented in Paper X were incorporated during revisions after the authors were aware of Paper Y's acceptance by Journal B.
Upon investigation, the authors emphasized differences between the papers and asserted that the results were obtained separately. However, feedback from readers, reviewers, and editorial board members of Journal A indicated a consensus regarding the substantial similarity between the two papers.
Journal A reached out to Journal B, where the Editor was satisfied with the authors' explanation. Despite this, in accordance with COPE guidelines, Journal A has decided to publish a notice of concern regarding the matter. Further actions, such as publishing a notice of duplication, will be considered if it becomes evident that the data are indeed the same.
It is important to note that COPE does not advocate for punitive measures against authors but emphasizes transparency and proper handling of such cases. Concurrently, the authors' institution has undertaken its investigation, which includes guidance on proper author and researcher conduct in publications.
This development underscores the necessity for vigilance in upholding research integrity and addressing concerns of potential duplication or overlap in scholarly publications. Journal A remains committed to ensuring the highest standards of ethical publishing practices.
