Self-Citation Policy
Self-citation in scientific publications is a multifaceted subject with ethical and practical implications. BioNatura Journal adheres to COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines to distinguish between legitimate continuity in research and metric manipulation.
Legitimate Uses
- Continuity in Research: Demonstrates the progression of research and how new publications build logically upon prior work.
- Context and Background: Provides readers with a deeper understanding of the research's origin without redundant repetition.
- Authorship Recognition: Properly acknowledges the author's previous valid contributions to the field.
Unethical Practices
- Artificial Inflation: Excessive self-citation designed primarily to misleadingly inflate bibliometric indicators like the h-index.
- Bias in Evaluation: The practice may unfairly influence the perception of an author's work, creating an "echo chamber" effect.
- Erosion of Trust: Overuse or irrelevant self-citation leads to a loss of credibility among peers and reviewers.
Recommendations for Ethical Self-Citation
- Relevance is Key: Self-cite only when the previous work is genuinely relevant and necessary for the current argument.
- Use Sparingly: Avoid indiscriminate citation of your own work. If a review article summarizes your past work, cite the review instead.
- Be Transparent: Clearly explain the relevance of the cited work in the text, ensuring it adds value to the reader.
- Adhere to Guidelines: Respect the specific reference limits and policies of the journal.
Policy on Coercive Citation
BioNatura Journal strictly prohibits coercive citation. Editors and reviewers must not request that authors cite the journal's previous publications as a condition for acceptance. Any suggestion to cite BioNatura articles must be based solely on scientific relevance.