Salami Slicing and

Duplicate Publication

Salami slicing

What is Salami Slicing?

When authors break up a large study into two or more smaller published articles, they are creating “slices” of their work.

What happens in salami slicing?A single research is divided into “slices,” each of which is a “least publishable unit.”

Why do authors do it?• To increase their publication count • To get more recognition• To achieve faster career progression • To receive more funding

Why is it unethical?

1. You cannot break up a study into parts and present them as separate studies.

2. Salami slicing is harmful to science. For example, readers may believe that each slice, which looks independent, is the result of studies on different groups of subjects.

3. It increases the quantity of scientific literature instead of quality.

4. It leads to self-plagiarism.

5. It is an unfair waste of peer reviewers’ time.

6. It increases the author’s citation record.

7. It is an unethical means of achieving career progression.

Duplicate publication and multiple submissions

What do these terms mean?

Duplicate submission

• These practices are unethical and are categorized under “author misconduct”.

• They are brought to the notice of all editors within the field.

• Authors stand to lose credibility.

• Some journals ban the author for as many as five years.

Submitting the same manuscript to multiple journals

Publishing the same study in multiple journals

Multiple submissions

Was it intentional?

Authors are often unaware that they are following unethical publication practices.

Often, authors don’t know the difference between salami slicing, duplicate publication, and multiple submission.

Authors may find it difficult to decide when they should publish the same study as a separate paper.

Authors may not know that they are self-plagiarizing.

Example 1

Early career researchers may feel that breaking up a study into smaller publishable parts is the best way to get recognition.

They may not know that they are indulging in salami slicing and that it is unethical!

I need to publish more papers

soon…Maybe I should divide my

original study into smaller parts

and publish them separately. I

guess that’s the right thing to do!

Example 2

The long wait for publication and high rejection rates are tough to handle.

Authors may think that they are saving time by submitting the same paper to multiple journals at the same time.

They may feel that a re-published paper will get them more citations.

It takes so long to hear from

journals. Let me submit my paper

to two journals at once. I will save

time. One of them is bound to

accept my paper.

Tips to publish ethically (1/2)

Your study is very large and addresses many distinct questions.

Your study results are re-analyzed from a completely different angle or given a completely different treatment.

Break up your paper into smaller papers if:

Avoid breaking up data unless the study demands it!

Focus on the quality of your publications, not on quantity.

If you are using data from articles that you have previously published, make sure you cite them in your paper.

In case you feel there’s an overlap, make sure you declare this at the time of submission.

If possible, submit copies of potentially overlapping studies along with your manuscript to the journal.

In case you have submitted the same paper to another journal, inform the journal editors about it, so they know that you do not intend to deceive them.

Tips to publish ethically (2/2)

To know more about salami slicing, duplicate publication, and simultaneous submissions in details, view:

1. Salami slicinghttp://www.slideshare.net/editage/the-pitfalls-of-salami-slicing-focus-on-quality-and-notquantity-of-publications

And

2. Duplicate publications and simultaneous submissionshttp://www.slideshare.net/editage/duplicate-publicationsandsimultaneous-submissions

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