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Text recycling in health sciences research literature: a rhetorical perspective

Publication ,  Journal Article
Moskovitz, C
Published in: Research Integrity and Peer Review
February 6, 2017

The past few years have seen a steady rise in the number of health science journals using plagiarism detection software to screen submitted manuscripts. While there is widespread agreement about the need to guard against plagiarism and duplicate publication, the use of such tools has sparked debate about text recycling—the reuse of material from one’s prior publications in a new manuscript. Many who have published on the topic consider all uses of text recycling anathema. Others argue that some uses of recycling are unavoidable and sometimes even beneficial for readers. Unfortunately, much of this discourse now merely repeats dogmatic assertions. I argue that progress can be made by acknowledging three points: First, citation standards for research writing in the health sciences will not mirror those of the humanities. Second, while it is impossible to draw a definitive line between appropriate and inappropriate uses of text recycling, some uses of the practice lie clearly on the legitimate side. Third, the needs of editors for information regarding recycled text are different from those of readers. Ultimately, calls for rewording and citation as alternatives or fixes for text recycling are unlikely to prove satisfactory to either readers or editors.

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Published In

Research Integrity and Peer Review

DOI

Publication Date

February 6, 2017

Volume

2

Issue

1

Publisher

BioMed Central

Related Subject Headings

  • 5001 Applied ethics
  • 2201 Applied Ethics
 

Citation

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Moskovitz, C. (2017). Text recycling in health sciences research literature: a rhetorical perspective. Research Integrity and Peer Review, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41073-017-0025-z
Moskovitz, C. “Text recycling in health sciences research literature: a rhetorical perspective.” Research Integrity and Peer Review 2, no. 1 (February 6, 2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41073-017-0025-z.
Moskovitz C. Text recycling in health sciences research literature: a rhetorical perspective. Research Integrity and Peer Review. 2017 Feb 6;2(1).
Moskovitz, C. “Text recycling in health sciences research literature: a rhetorical perspective.” Research Integrity and Peer Review, vol. 2, no. 1, BioMed Central, Feb. 2017. Manual, doi:10.1186/s41073-017-0025-z.
Moskovitz C. Text recycling in health sciences research literature: a rhetorical perspective. Research Integrity and Peer Review. BioMed Central; 2017 Feb 6;2(1).

Published In

Research Integrity and Peer Review

DOI

Publication Date

February 6, 2017

Volume

2

Issue

1

Publisher

BioMed Central

Related Subject Headings

  • 5001 Applied ethics
  • 2201 Applied Ethics