Research Integrity

The integrity of the scientific record depends on the accuracy and originality of the research presented. To ensure transparency and reproducibility, the following policies outline the mandatory standards for original content, the prevention of plagiarism and redundant publication, and the rigorous requirements for data and image authenticity.

Originality

Authors must submit manuscripts that represent original scholarly work and make a substantial and novel contribution to the scientific literature. Submission to Advances in BioScience implies that the manuscript has not been previously published and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Authors must ensure appropriate acknowledgment and citation of all sources that have contributed to the research, including previously published data, methods, theories, or ideas. Any reuse of content must be transparent and properly attributed, in accordance with accepted standards of academic integrity.

Prior dissemination of research content (e.g., conference abstracts, theses, or preprints) does not automatically constitute prior publication, provided such dissemination is fully disclosed and complies with the journal’s policies.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism, including but not limited to verbatim copying, close paraphrasing, text recycling (self-plagiarism), or the unattributed use of ideas, images, tables, figures, or data, is strictly prohibited. All submissions are screened using plagiarism-detection tools to ensure originality.

Suspected plagiarism will be investigated in accordance with COPE guidelines. If plagiarism is confirmed, the journal may reject the submission, request revisions, issue corrections, retract published articles, or notify the authors’ institutions, depending on the severity of the violation.

Duplicate/Redundant Publication

Duplicate or redundant publication refers to the submission or publication of the same manuscript or article, or substantially similar content, in more than one journal or publication venue without full disclosure, proper citation, or editorial approval. This includes significant overlap in text, data, figures, or analyses with previously published or concurrently submitted work by the same authors.

Forms of Duplicate or Redundant Publication

Duplicate or redundant publication includes, but is not limited to:

Simultaneous Submission: Submitting the same or substantially similar manuscript to more than one journal at the same time.
Duplicate Publication: Republishing an article that has already been published elsewhere, in the same or another language, without proper acknowledgment and editorial permission.
Redundant Publication: Publishing an article that substantially overlaps with previously published work by the same authors, without clear citation or justification.
Self-Plagiarism: Reusing large portions of one’s own previously published text, data, or figures without citation or disclosure.
Salami Slicing: Fragmenting a single research study into multiple publications without scientific justification, resulting in overlapping datasets and minimal new findings.

Author Responsibilities (Duplicate Publication)

Authors are responsible for ensuring that submitted manuscripts are original and not under consideration elsewhere. Any prior, related, or overlapping publications or submissions must be fully disclosed at the time of submission. Authors must clearly cite earlier work and demonstrate how the submitted manuscript provides a distinct and substantial scholarly contribution.

Editorial Assessment (Duplicate Publication)

The journal evaluates all submissions for originality using plagiarism-detection tools and editorial review. In cases of suspected duplicate or redundant publication, the editors will assess the extent of overlap, the novelty of the work, and the transparency of author disclosures, in accordance with established ethical guidelines.

Image and Data Manipulation

Image or Data Manipulation is the alteration or processing of visual or numerical data in scholarly work. This encompasses both legitimate processing techniques—applied to enhance clarity, visibility, or presentation without changing the underlying meaning—and unethical alterations that misrepresent scientific results, obscure authentic findings, or mislead interpretation of research outcomes.

These standards apply to visual, numerical, and statistical data throughout the publication lifecycle—from submission to post-publication assessment, including:

Figures, images, and datasets;
Tables, graphs, and statistical outputs;
Microscopy images, gels, and blots;
Clinical and photographic images;
Supplementary materials and all associated raw and processed files.

Acceptable Practices

Limited image and data processing is permitted provided it is applied uniformly and does not alter, obscure, or misrepresent the scientific meaning of the original data. Acceptable practices include global adjustments to brightness, contrast, or color balance applied consistently across the entire image or dataset, and cropping performed solely to improve clarity or highlight relevant regions without omitting essential information. The grouping or assembly of images or panels is acceptable when the arrangement is clearly indicated, boundaries are visible where appropriate, and all components are accurately labeled and described in the figure legend. Authors must retain original, unprocessed data and make it available to the journal upon request.

Prohibited Practices

Any manipulation that compromises data authenticity or accurate representation is strictly prohibited. Prohibited practices include:

Cloning, copying, or duplicating features within or across images.
Using smudging, blurring, healing brushes, or clone stamps to obscure artifacts or blemishes.
Moving, repositioning, removing, or introducing elements, including splicing images without explicit disclosure.
Applying inconsistent parameters between control and experimental samples, emphasizing specific regions, or eliminating data points (outliers) without justification.
Using selective background subtraction or normalization to suppress or enhance specific features.

Author Responsibilities (Image and Data Integrity)

Authors are responsible for ensuring the integrity of all images and data presented in their manuscripts and published articles. Original, unprocessed data and image files must be securely retained and made available to the journal upon request during peer review or in the event of post-publication assessment or investigation. Any image processing or data manipulation must be disclosed in the manuscript and must not alter, obscure, or misrepresent the original observations. All figures must accurately represent the underlying data without distortion or selective reporting.

Editorial Assessment (Image and Data Screening)

The journal may employ image-screening tools, data review procedures, and expert evaluation to assess the integrity and authenticity of submitted images and datasets. Any concerns or suspected cases of inappropriate image or data manipulation will be examined through established editorial processes and investigated in accordance with recognized ethical guidelines and best practices.

Data Availability

Authors are expected to make the data underlying their research publicly available to the fullest extent possible, whenever ethically and legally appropriate. Manuscripts must include a Data Availability Statement clearly describing where and how the supporting data can be accessed, such as through recognized public repositories, institutional databases, or upon reasonable request. Where applicable, persistent identifiers (e.g., DOIs or accession numbers) should be provided.

If data cannot be made publicly available due to ethical, legal, privacy, or confidentiality restrictions, authors must clearly justify these limitations in the Data Availability Statement. Authors must ensure that all shared data are accurate, complete, and sufficient to enable verification and replication of the reported findings, and must make data available to the journal upon request during peer review or post-publication assessment.