Ethics Video Series: Plagiarism

Summary

The transcript discusses ethical practices in academic publishing, focusing on originality and proper attribution. It emphasizes that directly reusing text or ideas from previously published work without significant modification is unethical and violates copyright laws. Authors must rewrite content, avoid self-plagiarism, and ensure full transparency by citing sources properly. Editors and co-authors have a duty to ensure the originality of submitted work. Collaboration is encouraged, but acknowledgment of others' contributions is essential, and permission should be sought when building on someone else's ideas.

Takeaways

• 📝 Originality is essential: Submitting ideas from a published source as new material is not allowed.
• 💡 New work should extend beyond previously published material, showing an incremental contribution.
• 🗣️ Always consult with the editor if unsure about originality or overlap with previous publications.
• 📚 Quoting yourself requires proper citation or paraphrasing, especially when repurposing content from journals or books.
• 📖 Publishers have copyright laws limiting how many direct words can be quoted from previous works.
• ⚖️ Self-plagiarism is prohibited: Authors must rewrite text entirely when reusing research for new publications.
• 🔄 Paragraph structure and sentence composition should be altered, not just words, to avoid self-plagiarism.
• 👥 Co-authors are responsible for ensuring that all members of a paper adhere to ethical guidelines and avoid plagiarism.
• 🤝 Collaboration is encouraged, but proper credit and permission must be given when building on others' ideas.
• 📜 Acknowledging the source of an idea, even from informal conversations, is important and can be done in footnotes.

Q & A

What is the central issue being discussed in the transcript?

The central issue is how to properly handle previously published work in new publications to avoid self-plagiarism and copyright violations.

Can an author reuse their previously published work in a new publication?

No, authors cannot submit previously published material as original work. If necessary, they must rewrite the content significantly and adhere to copyright laws.

What should an author do if they want to reuse previously published material in a book chapter?

The author must obtain permission from the original journal where the material was published and ensure the content is revised, not repeated verbatim.

Are there copyright rules limiting the reuse of content between journals and books?

Yes, publishers have rules that limit the amount of direct quotations allowed, and authors must avoid infringing on copyrights by not reusing text word-for-word.

How should an author handle citing their own previous work?

If reusing any parts of their previous work, authors must either quote it directly with proper citation or completely rewrite it to avoid duplication.

What is the responsibility of co-authors when it comes to plagiarism?

All co-authors are collectively responsible for ensuring that no plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, is present in the work, and must perform due diligence.

What should an author do if their new idea was inspired by another person’s work?

The author should contact the person who inspired the idea, give them the right of refusal, and credit them appropriately if the idea is developed further.

Can an author copy research methods from one journal to another?

No, it would not be appropriate to copy sections like research methods verbatim from one journal article to another. The section must be rewritten and properly cited.

Why is it important to avoid reusing content from previous publications?

It is important to maintain originality, comply with copyright laws, and adhere to the ethical standards of academic publishing.

How should authors handle originality when building on previous work?

Authors need to extend ideas beyond previous work and offer incremental contributions. When in doubt, they should consult the editor or properly cite the previous source.