Developed in collaboration with:

publicationethics.org
Version 1: October 2018

image manipulation in a published article

manipulation in a published article
What to do if you suspect image

This flowchart relates READER ExPRESSES SuSPICIoN

only to cases where oF IMAgE MANIPulATIoN
concerns related to
digital photographic
images are raised THANk READER AND STATE youR
(eg, duplication of parts PlAN To INVESTIgATE
within an image, or use
of identical images to
show different things). Consider getting a 2nd opinion
For wider concernsYOUaboutARE VIEWING AN ARCHIVED VERSION OF THIS DOCUMENT
from another reviewer
potential data fabrication,
please consult the
flowchart ‘Suspected
View the latest version at
fabricated data in a https://doi.org/10.24318/cope.2019.2.21
published manuscript’
Contact author to explain your concerns
but do not make direct accusations
No response

Attempt to contact all

Response co-authors (check online,
eg, Medline or Google, for emails)

Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Clear admission of image No response

explanation answer manipulation by author

APologISE Consider whether you have sufficient evidence of image

To AuTHoR. manipulation to publish a retraction or a correction
PuBlISH (eg, does zooming in show that parts of images are
duplicated). Consider using software to analyse images
CoRRECTIoN IF
PuBlISH A RETRACTIoN
NECESSARy (Eg,
(oR CoNSIDER A CoRRECTIoN IF
IF AN HoNEST
THE MANIPulATIoN IS VERy MINoR
ERRoR HAS
AND THE MAJoRITy oF THE RESulTS
BEEN DETECTED
Unclear/suspected Clear image AND CoNCluSIoNS oF THE ARTIClE
THAT DoES NoT
image manipulation manipulation REMAIN VAlID), CoNTACTINg All
INVAlIDATE
AuTHoRS AND TEllINg THEM wHAT
CoNCluSIoNS)
you PlAN To Do
Contact author’s institution requesting your concern
is passed to author’s superior and/or person
responsible for research governance, if necessary
coordinating with co-authors’ institutions

Authors not guilty of No response or Authors guilty of

image manipulation inconclusive reply image manipulation Inform authors’ superior
and/or person responsible
for research governance
APologISE To CoNSIDER at authors’ institutions,
AuTHoR. PuBlISH CoNTACTINg AuTHoRS’ and inform authors
CoRRECTIoN IF INSTITuTIoN EVERy
NECESSARy 3-6 MoNTHS
Version 1:
October 2018 (eg, if an honest error If no resolution, consider
INFoRM READER
Developed in has been detected that contacting the authorities,
collaboration with does not invalidate eg, oRI in uS, gMC in UK. oF ouTCoME
Springer Nature conclusions) Consider publishing an
© 2018 Committee Expression of Concern
on Publication Ethics
(CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

References
Journal of Cell Biology. Editorial Policies on Data Integrity and Plagiarism. https://bit.ly/2pixmxk
Bioscience-scale Automated Detection of Figure Element Reuse. Daniel E. Acuna et al. https://bit.ly/2COyr8N
Researchers have Finally Created a Tool to Spot Duplicated Images across Thousands of Papers. Declan Butler. https://go.nature.com/2ES7ORI
At Harvard, Developing Software to Spot Misused Images in Science. Lucy Goodchild van Hilten. https://bit.ly/2n9sBVS
VerifEye. https://bit.ly/2PFqHsD