Q: Can I use a few sentences from one of my previous publications in the introduction of my manuscript?
I’m going to submit the manuscript which is on an area close to my previously published paper. The Methods section and research question are different, but some sentences in the Introduction etc. are the same with the published paper. Is this considered to be a problem?
You cannot copy sentences directly from a previously published paper, even if it is your own paper. This will be regarded as self-plagiarism, and you have to make sure you reword or paraphrase it and cite the original paper. Any content that is directly copied from the previous publication will have to be used with quotation marks.
Journals use plagiarism check software to detect such similar content. Journals have a slightly lenient approach towards similar content in the Methods section, but they might reject your paper if the introduction has several sentences from a previous paper.
Recommended reading:
- What's the big deal about self-plagiarism?
- My paper has been rejected on the grounds of plagiarism. What should I do?
- Avoiding self-plagiarism: A case study
- How much do journal editors rely on plagiarism detection software?
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