From IEEE PSPB Operations Manual

It is common in technical publishing for material to be presented at various stages of its evolution. As one example, this can take the form of publishing early ideas in a workshop, more developed work in a conference and fully developed contributions as journal or transactions papers. The IEEE recognizes the importance of this evolutionary publication process as an important means of scientific communication and fully supports this publishing paradigm. At the same time the IEEE requires that this evolutionary process be fully referenced. The following procedures are presented in light of these principles.

1. Editorial Reuse of Previously Published Material. The Editor of a publication may choose to re-publish existing material for a variety of reasons including promoting wider distribution and serving readers by aggregating special material in a single publication. This practice is recognized and accepted by the IEEE. When such a re-publication occurs, the papers must be annotated as being republished, and their original publication venue cited. As necessary, appropriate permission shall be obtained.

2. Author Obligations to Cite Previous Work. If author(s), within the evolutionary publishing paradigm, have used their own previously published or submitted material as a basis for a new submission, Section 8.2.1.B.9 requires that the author(s) cite the previous work(s) and very clearly indicate how the new submission differs from the previously published work(s). Guidelines for referencing of author's previous work are covered in Section 8.2.9. Authors who do not properly cite their previous work and who are found not to be in compliance with the requirements of Section 8.2.1.B.9 are also subject to corrective actions.

a. In these cases corrective actions that shall be taken are:

1. Offending individual(s) will be reminded that the practice is considered inappropriate scholarly practice, referred to Section 8.2.1.B.9 and Section 8.2.9, and notified that repeated offenses could result in correction actions as specified in Section 8.2.4.F.3.b.

b. In cases of a second offense, corrective actions that shall be taken are:

1. formal warning to offending individuals stating that, if additional offenses are discovered, action 2c shall occur

c. An additional offense following action 2b shall result in suspension of publication privileges in all IEEE Publications for 1 year and rejection and return of all papers by the author(s) that are currently in review or in any IEEE publication's queue (papers may be re-submitted after suspension term has expired).

Proposed corrective actions related to level-2c violations of Section 8.2.4.F.2 shall be approved by the Chair of the IEEE Publication Services and Products Board.

3. Author Obligations to Inform Editors of Previous Work. As described in Section 8.2.1.B.9, authors should only submit original work that has neither appeared elsewhere for publication, nor which is under review for another refereed publication. Multiple submission is defined as a given manuscript being concurrently under active consideration by two or more publications. It is at the discretion of each IEEE Organization Unit whether or not to allow multiple submission. Authors shall inform editors of multiple submissions of manuscripts. Authors in violation of these multiple-submission guidelines are subject to corrective actions.

a. At the time of manuscript submission, or during the review of a manuscript, the editor was not informed that the manuscript had been published.

1. In this case, corrective actions that shall be taken are:

(i) A formal warning to offending individual(s)

2. In this case, corrective actions that may also be taken are:

(i) Offending individual(s) prepare and submit apology to the publication editor

(ii) Publication of the offending author's apology.

3. Discovery of a second offense shall result in:

(i) Another formal warning to offending individuals stating that, if additional offenses are discovered, action a(4) shall occur

(ii) Suspension of publication in the IEEE publication where the offense took place by the offending individual(s) for 1 year of the publication or, if appropriate, the next volume of the conference proceedings.

4. An additional offense following action a(3) of Section 8.2.4.F.3 shall result in suspension of publication privileges in all IEEE Publications from 3 to 5 years as determined by Chair of the Publications Services and Products Board and rejection and return of all papers by the author(s) that are currently in review or in any IEEE publication's queue (papers may be re-submitted after suspension term has expired).

b. Lack of disclosure to the editor by the author(s) that the manuscript is under active consideration by another publication. Individual publications can choose to either accept or reject outright concurrent consideration of manuscripts. Authors should be made aware of the publication's policy on this matter.

1. In case authors fail to inform the editor of other consideration of the paper, corrective actions that shall be taken are:

(i) Offending individual(s) will be reminded that the practice is considered inappropriate scholarly practice, referred to Section 8.2.1.B.9 and Section 8.2.7, and notified that repeated offenses could result in correction actions as specified in 8.2.4.F.2.b.

2. Discovery of a second offense shall result in:

(i) Another formal warning to offending individuals stating that, if additional offenses are discovered, action a(3) of Section 8.2.4.F.3 shall occur

3. An additional offense following action b(2) of Section 8.2.4.F.3 shall result in suspension of publication privileges in all IEEE Publications for 1 year and rejection and return of all papers by the author(s) that are currently in review or in any IEEE publication's queue (papers may be re-submitted after suspension term has expired).

Proposed corrective actions related to level a(4) or b(3) of Section 8.2.4.F.3 shall be approved by the Chair of the IEEE Publication Services and Products Board.

(See also Section 8.1.7, "Multiple Publication of Original Technical Material in IEEE Periodicals," Section 8.2.1.B, "Responsibilities of Manuscript Authors,")