PLOS has announced updates to its editorial policy governing research based on publicly available health and social science databases. The revisions address concerns over inappropriate use of retrospective datasets, including practices such as data dredging and salami slicing—dividing closely related studies into multiple publications to inflate output.
The changes require that all submissions demonstrate clear and legitimate research questions, with careful consideration given to the age and relevance of datasets. Authors must also continue to provide the STROBE checklist when submitting observational studies to ensure methodological rigor.
Journal editors and academic reviewers will collaborate more closely to apply these standards consistently across all PLOS titles. The publisher noted the strengthened measures are intended to uphold editorial integrity and maintain high scientific value in database-driven research, while supporting transparency and reliability in published studies.
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