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Salami Slicing Factsheet

Salami slicing involves breaking up a single study into multiple publications to inflate an author's citation record. Unlike duplicate publication, it segments the data rather than reporting the same data. This distorts the literature by making each slice appear to be a separate study. Authors should avoid inappropriately breaking up a single study and be transparent when submitting related manuscripts from one study.

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157 views

Salami Slicing Factsheet

Salami slicing involves breaking up a single study into multiple publications to inflate an author's citation record. Unlike duplicate publication, it segments the data rather than reporting the same data. This distorts the literature by making each slice appear to be a separate study. Authors should avoid inappropriately breaking up a single study and be transparent when submitting related manuscripts from one study.

Uploaded by

KhabirIslam
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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FACTSHEET

Salami Slicing
The “slicing” of research that would form one meaningful paper into several different papers is
called "salami publication" or "salami slicing".1

Unlike duplicate publication, which involves reporting the exact same data in two or more publications, salami
slicing involves breaking up or segmenting a large study into two or more publications. These segments are referred to as "slices" of a study.2

As a general rule, as long as the "slices" of a broken up study share the same hypotheses, population, and methods, this is not acceptable practice. The
same "slice" should never be published more than once.3

The reason: according to the U.S. Office of Research Integrity, salami slicing can result in a distortion of the literature by leading unsuspecting readers
to believe that data presented in each salami slice (i.e., journal article) is derived from a different subject sample.2 This not only skews the "scientific
database" but it creates repetition that wastes readers' time as well as the time of editors and reviewers, who must handle each paper separately.
Further, it unfairly inflates the author's citation record.

There are instances where data from large clinical trials and epidemiological studies cannot be published simultaneously, or are such that they address
different and distinct questions with multiple and unrelated endpoints. In these cases, it is legitimate to describe important outcomes of the studies
separately.1,4,5 However each paper should clearly define its hypothesis and be presented as one section of a much larger study.3

Most journals request that authors who either know or suspect a manuscript submitted for publication represents fragmented data should disclose this
information, as well as enclose any other papers (published or unpublished) that might be part of the paper under consideration.2,5

Guide to Salami Slicing and How to Prevent It*

Action What is it? Is it unethical? What should you do?


Breaking up or Publishing small 'slices' of research in Yes. ■ Avoid inappropriately breaking up data
segmenting data from several different papers is called from a single study into two or more papers.
a single study and ‘salami publication’ or ‘salami slicing’. Salami slicing can result in a ■ When submitting a paper, be transparent.

creating different distortion of the literature by leading Send copies of any manuscripts closely related
manuscripts for unsuspecting readers to believe that to the manuscript under consideration.
■ This includes any manuscripts published,
publication data presented in each 'slice' is derived
from a different subject sample.2 recently submitted, or already accepted.5

*When in doubt, always consult with your professor, advisor, or someone in a position of authority who can guide you to the right course of action.

References
1. Abraham P (2000). Duplicate and salami publications. Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, 46: 67.
2. Office of Research Integrity. Salami Slicing (i.e., data fragmentation). Available at: http://ori.hhs.gov/plagiarism-16. Accessed on June 17, 2017.
3. Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) (2005). Cases: Salami publication. Available at: https://publicationethics.org/search/site/salami. Accessed on June 17, 2017.
4. Angell M, Relman AS. Redundant publication. N Engl J Med 1989; 320:1212-1214
5. Kassirer JP, Angell M. Redundant publication: a reminder. N Engl J Med 1995; 333:449-450

Elsevier | Ethics in Research & Publication 2017_ETHICS_SS02

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