Elsevier expands Check Integrity tool across 2,000 journals

Elsevier has expanded its Check Integrity screening tool across nearly 2,000 of its journals, following a successful pilot phase, in a move aimed at strengthening research integrity and improving editorial efficiency.

The tool is designed to detect potential breaches of publishing ethics policies, such as unauthorised authorship changes and editorial conflicts of interest, enabling these issues to be addressed by specialist teams before publication.

According to Elsevier, a significant proportion of flagged cases during the pilot phase resulted in corrective action, highlighting the tool’s effectiveness in preventing post-publication amendments to the scholarly record.

Check Integrity operates by automatically reviewing submissions and flagging potential concerns for specialist integrity analysts. These experts assess the findings and determine whether further action is required, allowing journal editors to focus on evaluating credible research submissions.

Laura Hassink, MD of STM Journals, said: “Check Integrity represents a meaningful leap in safeguarding the integrity of the research we publish. By handling the screening and initial communications, Check Integrity frees editors to focus on evaluating high-quality, authentic research, making the publication process faster and more reliable for authors and readers alike.”

The system has been designed to evolve in response to emerging risks and is intended to help address increasing pressures on researchers and editors as submission volumes continue to rise.