ScienceGuardians™ Guidelines for Ethical Reuse of Figures and Tables

Improper reuse of figures and tables—including self-plagiarism, lack of proper attribution, and failure to obtain copyright permissions—remains one of the most common and avoidable causes of paper retractions, corrections, and expressions of concern across academic publishing. Each year, hundreds of papers are retracted and thousands of corrigenda and errata are issued simply because authors, editors, and publishers lack clear guidance on how to handle figure and table reuse.

At ScienceGuardians™, we believe that empowering the academic community with transparent, ethical, and straightforward guidelines can prevent these avoidable mistakes—protecting the integrity of scientific records and preserving trust in the scholarly process.

Our Guidelines for Ethical and Compliant Reuse of Figures and Tables provide a step-by-step, practical framework for authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers to follow when:
– Reusing their own previously published figures and tables
– Reusing figures and tables from other sources
– Determining when permission is required
– Understanding when and how adaptation qualifies as ethical reuse

These guidelines cover essential topics including:
– Attribution standards and proper citation
– Understanding and navigating copyright permissions
– Creative Commons and Public Domain use
– Defining and avoiding self-plagiarism
– Clear rules for adapting figures and tables (30-50% substantial modifications)
– Step-by-step pathways for compliance based on the origin of the figure or table

By following these guidelines, researchers can avoid unnecessary retractions and corrections, uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, and contribute to a more transparent and ethical scholarly publishing landscape.

We encourage authors, editors, reviewers, and publishers to adopt and share these guidelines to empower all stakeholders in maintaining trust and quality in research dissemination.

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SG-RFT-25-02-01_Reuse of Figures and Tables