Submitting to multiple journals at once?

[ck926]

Hi all,

I have always been under the impression that it is unethical, or frowned upon (at the very least), to submit the same paper to more than one journal simultaneously. However, a professor I co-authored a paper with is encouraging me to submit it to a second journal while we wait for a decision from the first journal. This professor is very experienced and well respected so I don't want to question him, but like I said, I have always been under the impression that this is bad practice, so I was caught off guard. Is it acceptable to do this? Thanks in advance for any input! 

[wildviolet]

Hmmm... I haven't had experience publishing yet (am getting ready to start submitting papers), but I too am under the impression that that is not kosher. However, I guess if you were accepted to the first journal, you could always retract from the second journal? My question is, what is the reputation of the second journal compared to the first journal? Does your professor think it will be very difficult to be accepted in the first journal?

[ck926]

Hmmm... I haven't had experience publishing yet (am getting ready to start submitting papers), but I too am under the impression that that is not kosher. However, I guess if you were accepted to the first journal, you could always retract from the second journal? My question is, what is the reputation of the second journal compared to the first journal? Does your professor think it will be very difficult to be accepted in the first journal?

 

Yes I would certainly retract if it came down to it, I'm just not sure if it should be done in the first place. They have a nearly equivalent reputation (decent but not top tier). I think his issue is that the first journal is taking a little longer to give a decision than he would like. I emailed the editor today to check on the status since the professor keeps asking me about it and it's normal for them to take up to 6 months (we just submitted 2 months ago). This is what prompted him to encourage me to submit elsewhere while we wait. I'm a bit surprised as well since waiting several months for a decision in our discipline isn't uncommon, so this shouldn't be a new experience for him. As someone who is just starting out, I'm very concerned about doing something that could hinder me from building a good reputation. Thank you for your reply!

[wildviolet]

Yes, I would be concerned about my reputation, too!

 

Is there another professor or senior grad student that you could ask about this?

[TakeruK]

This is something that really depends on the norms of each field and the terms and conditions of each journal.

 

I just submitted a paper last month and prior to submission, I had to certify that I have not submitted this same work for consideration to any other journal (even if the other journal is published by the same group). In my field, the correct/norm/ethical thing to do if you want to submit to another journal is to first withdraw your submission from the first journal and then resubmit.

 

Some concerns about resubmitting: my field is small enough that it's very likely that when the second journal solicits reviewers, they will be asking some of the same people as the first journal!

 

For your specific case, I think it is okay to respectfully bring up your concerns about copyright. But I'd also second wildviolet's suggestion to seek the advice of another grad student in your field or another professor you have a good relationship with.

[Igotnothin]

Yeah I think your instincts are right here. If either journal asks you to verify that the paper is not under review elsewhere, then of course you should not submit to both. On the off chance that neither mentions it, then go ahead. 

[Taeyers]

When my PI submitted a paper that we co-wrote, I was emailed a form to sign electronically that included a statement that the paper has not been submitted to any other journals. So in my case it was very unambiguous, but norms tend to vary widely across fields. 

 

I'd do a cursory online search and ask around a bit, in a curious rather than dismayed way. Do you know another faculty member who would give you a frank response to this professor's suggestion in lieu of the most diplomatic response? I mean, his plan might not be outright wrong and unethical in your field, but it could still be perceived negatively.

[i've been pleasantly surprised by how much some faculty in my department are willing to level with me and treat me more as a junior colleague under their advisement rather than a naive student, so I figure it's always worth it to ask when I'm curious about norms and such.]

Edited November 27, 2014 by Taeyers

[UNCAnthro]

I think there are a few reasons not to submit the same work to different journals and to not take your professor's advice. First, I do think it's unethical, but that may be only in my field (anthropology). Second, most journals, regardless of the discipline, require you to certify that you haven't submitted it elsewhere. Third, a massive amount of free labor goes into reviewing a paper. At least three reviewers take time to read it, consider it, and write up sometimes quite detailed and thoughtful comments. Then the editor and editorial team...it would be a shame to waste their time if the paper was accepted in two journals.

It's good your asking these questions.

[nugget]

It sounds like the professor is in a hurry to get it published. I wonder why? Perhaps a grant deadline is coming up and he wants to have more publications in this area of research under his belt.

 

I, too, have only heard of people submitting to one journal at a time. I suppose he thinks you could just withdraw one submission once the other has been approved. But what if the first journal takes longer and both journals happen to review at the same time? That could get sticky. Not to mention, the editors would find out what happened after they see the same paper in another journal shortly afterwards.

 

I have no advice to offer other than to speak to a more senior lab member and get their opinion on this or speak to a trusted prof in your department, if you have this kind of relationship with one and ask if they have any advice. You could then discuss your concerns with the prof in question and see what he has to say about it. He may be flexible after hearing what your specific concerns are.

Edited December 1, 2014 by jenste

[lewin]

Lots of great advice above.

 

Another drawback of this is that some fields are very specialized. What if the same reviewer gets asked by both journals? There's a significant non-zero chance of that happening and it could really blow up in your face.

[avidnote]

In my experience, research journals typically have a clause that your paper is not currently under review for another journal. Be sure to read through their terms of service, it should be stated there. If not, it's usually included when you're submitting your draft.

[UniformlyDivergent]

For pure/applied math, definitely not acceptable. This was instilled in us as undegraduates doing research. Wait to be accepted/rejected, than try elsewhere.

[AP]

When you submit an article to a serious journal, you will have to state that you are not submitting that piece anywhere else. Don't do it. 

[Jayden Richardson]

Simultaneous submission may lead the editors to believe the paper has already been published, or the article may be rejected due to a duplicate request.
Some journals may permit simultaneous submission, but this practice is not shared. Furthermore, many journals have a strict policy against it.
Therefore, Consult the situation with your professor and move forward.