CrossCheck: Interpreting the Similarity Reports

• Rachael Lammey: Product Manager, CrossRef

• Sarah Robbie: Peer Review Manager, Taylor & Francis

What we’ll cover• Interpreting the iThenticate reports

• Common issues with papers

• Following up

• Implementation at the publisher

• Support

• Issues for discussion

• Open discussion/Q&A

The T&F CrossCheck Process

Paper sent to Peer Review team

Peer review contact gives recommendation

Paper may be sent to editor for content decision

PDF letter sent to author

Any author response sent to T&F for further consideration

• T&F do not use % threshold

– The similarity percentage can be misleading

• Use All Sources view.

• Check for standard description

– Materials and Methods

• Check where the match is from

– Publisher site, university repository, author homepage?

• Check references in the submitted paper

– Is it referenced sufficiently?

Interpreting the Report

Common Issues with Papers

• Not referencing correctly

• Unattributed copying of parts of another’s work

• Submitting another’s work as your own

• ‘Self-plagiarism’/reuse of own work (salami-slicing)

• Dual submission

Things to be Aware of in CrossCheck

• PDF formatting– Some text formatting in PDFs is not picked up in

CrossCheck– Can make some papers look passable when they

might not be

• Equations– Formatting can be different between papers– CrossCheck does not pick up on all formats– May need to read the papers at the source if

possible

Example 1: Reproduction

Example 1: Reproduction

Example 2: Referencing

Example 3: Referencing and report views

Example 3: Referencing and report views

Example 4: Overlap in specific sections

Example 5: Potential Problems

Following up an Issue

• Send a PDF letter requesting more information if necessary– Clarification on how their new work builds on previous research

• If manuscript contains new results a revision may be appropriate– Correct referencing

– Rewording

• Editors should be reminded to keep each case confidential – Only those directly involved should be cc’d on correspondence

• Submission bans for repeat offenders

• Avoid using the word ‘plagiarism’

CrossCheck as a Deterrent

• CrossCheck information on Journal Authors Site and journal homepages

• CrossCheck warnings on peer review systems used by CrossCheck journals

– Author homepage

• CrossCheck question on submission form

– Ensure author agrees to any necessary checks

Supporting Staff and Editors

• T&F peer review team have created guides on CrossCheck and report interpretation

– Shared with iThenticate for their forthcoming guide

• Run in-house training course for colleagues

• Training and documentation for editors using CrossCheck

• Continuous support for editors when dealing with originality issues

Support from iParadigms• Free CrossCheck/iThenticate webinars

– On CrossRef website: http://www.crossref.org/crosscheck/index.html– Can do publisher-specific sessions

• Documentation and webcasts– http://www.ithenticate.com/resources/customer-training/

• Information on new functionality– http://www.ithenticate.com/products/whats-new/

• User Groups– At CrossRef Annual Meeting (workshop day), COPE events, 6th International Integrity

and Plagiarism Conference (June 14) and various conferences like CSE• Email Support

– ccsupport@ithenticate.com– Support team in UK and in the US

Any questions?

Thank you

http://www.crossref.org/crosscheck

rlammey@crossref.org