Welcome to the Resource Center for the STM Image Alterations & Duplications Working Group.
This is an evolving hub of videos, tools and guidelines for publishers working to detect automatic image alteration and/or duplications. 

Instructional Videos

Image Integrity in Scientific Publication | Video Series

A series of instructional video modules intended to serve as a tool for scholarly journal editors screening for manipulated images in submitted manuscripts.

MODULE 1. This first module provides an overview of the most commonly found image aberrations in scientific publications and illustrates how they may be detected and verified. Watch the video here.
MODULE 2. The second module offers an overview of commonly found image aberrations in blot images — and provides techniques for manually detecting and verifying these types of image issues. Although examples shown are all Western blots or immunoblots, the screening techniques introduced work equally well for northern blots, southern blots and agarose (DNA/RNA) gels.  Watch the video here.

 

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Recommendations

In December of 2021, the working group released recommendations for handling image integrity issues (PDF).

  • This webinar introduces the recommendations and offers attendees the opportunity to lend input.
  • A report on a session on the recommendations can be read here.
  • To access articles on the recommendations, click here.

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Tools

In June of 2022, the working group released a draft list of requirements and features for screening tools for image integrity issues, with a suggested prioritization in availability and/or development. The working group has invited providers of image screening tools to self-evaluate their solutions against this list. Learn more here.

In December of 2022, we compiled information from four providers: ImageTwin, Proofig, FigCheck and Imacheck. This sheet is intended as an informative source of information for publishers about available tools and services. Please note that STM did not validate the claims made in this overview. You can download the sheet here.

  

 

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Related reading:

  1. Bik, E.M., Fang, F.C., Kullas, A.L., Davis, R.J., Casadevall, A. (2018), Analysis and correction of inappropriate image duplication: The molecular and cellular biology experience, Molecular and Cellular Biology 38 (20), e00309
  2. Rossner, M. (2002), Figure manipulation: assessing what is acceptable, The Journal of Cell Biology 158 (7), 1151
  3. Williams, C.L., Casadevall, A., Jackson, S. (2019), Figure errors, sloppy science, and fraud: keeping eyes on your data, The Journal of Clinical Investigation 129 (5), 1805-1807

For more information, contact Joris van Rossum at rossum@stm-assoc.org.