Other meanings of Self-plagiarism
Academic Ethics
Self-plagiarism is the reuse of one's own previously published work, in whole or in part, without proper citation or acknowledgment. It is considered a form of academic misconduct because it misrepresents the novelty of the work and can distort the scholarly record, even though it does not involve stealing from others. The term is debated, as some argue that it is a misnomer since plagiarism typically involves taking others' ideas, but the practice is widely addressed in academic publishing guidelines.
Self-plagiarism involves reusing one's own previously published text, data, or ideas without indicating the reuse, thereby presenting them as new. Common forms include duplicate publication (publishing the same paper in multiple journals), segmented publication (salami-slicing, where one study is split into least publishable units), and augmented publication (adding new data to a previously published dataset without disclosure).1 The practice is problematic because it inflates publication counts, wastes editorial resources, and can lead to copyright infringement if the original publisher holds rights.
Ethically, self-plagiarism violates principles of honesty and transparency in research, as it misleads readers about the originality of the work. Many journals require authors to disclose prior publications and obtain permission for reuse.2 Legally, it can breach copyright agreements, as publishers often hold rights to the published version. However, some scholars argue that self-plagiarism is not true plagiarism because it does not steal from others, but rather breaches the expectation of novelty in academic publishing.
Detection of self-plagiarism is challenging because standard plagiarism software may not compare against the author's own previous works unless databases are cross-checked. Institutions and journals have developed policies, such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines, which recommend that authors cite their own work and seek permission for reuse.3 Some journals use text-matching software to flag potential self-plagiarism, but thresholds vary, and there is no universal standard.
Beyond academia, self-plagiarism appears in journalism, music, and software development, where creators may reuse their own material without disclosure. In academia, a notable case involved a prominent psychologist who was found to have self-plagiarized in multiple publications, leading to retractions.4 Another niche aspect is the concept of text recycling, which is sometimes considered acceptable in certain fields like medicine when reporting methods, but requires transparency. The term itself was popularized in the 2000s, but the practice has existed for centuries, with historical examples of scholars republishing their own works under different titles.
This article focuses on the reuse of one's own published work without citation, a practice distinct from traditional plagiarism.
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