My Database: Prevent Self‑Plagiarism and Protect Your Research with Proofig AI
Preventing Reuse of Your Own Published Images with a Personalized Repository
Ensure every new manuscript is truly original by using My Database—an industry‑first solution that empowers you to create and manage your very own image repository. With My Database, you decide exactly which images to include—from published papers, grant proposals, and conference posters to even unpublished lab images. Once your personalized repository is built, My Database automatically checks every new submission against your previously used visuals, preserving the originality and integrity of your research.
Self‑Plagiarism Definition
Self-plagiarism occurs when a researcher reuses their own previously published images or content in a new manuscript without proper citation or acknowledgment. This practice, while often accidental, can inadvertently undermine credibility and result in consequences similar to those associated with intentional plagiarism. My Database helps prevent these issues by ensuring that each new manuscript is carefully compared against your established repository of images.
The Growing Concern of Self-Plagiarism
Recent research published in a Taylor & Francis journal highlights the prevalence and impact of self-plagiarism in scientific publishing. A retrospective study analyzing 5,924 journal articles retracted due to self-plagiarism between 2001 and 2022 found that self-plagiarism accounts for 25.4% of all retracted papers in this period. Notably, 46% of these self-plagiarism retractions were due to image duplication, underscoring the critical need for proactive detection tools. The study also identified biomedical sciences, medicine, chemistry, and biology as the most affected fields. Another notable finding was that self-plagiarized manuscripts tended to have a significantly higher number of authors, suggesting a potential correlation between larger research teams and the occurrence of self-plagiarism.
(Source: Yulia V. Sevryugina & Yifan Li (03 Mar 2025). Self-plagiarism: A retrospective study of its prevalence and patterns across scientific disciplines, Accountability in Research, DOI: 10.1080/08989621.2025.2472016)
How My Database Works
Personalized Manuscript Library
Effortlessly build your personal image repository by uploading your previously published papers, grant applications, conference posters, or other research documents. These materials are indexed solely as a reference for future checks without being analyzed for past errors or issues, ensuring that your historical content serves only to protect new submissions from unintended reuse.
Automated Integrity Check & Seamless Integration
When you submit a new manuscript, Proofig AI automatically performs a real time comparison between its images and those stored in your repository. This process detects any accidental duplication—offering protection that conventional public databases cannot match. Designed exclusively to safeguard new work, My Database operates automatically once your repository is set up, delivering rapid, reliable checks so you can focus on advancing your research.
The Role of Public Databases in Plagiarism Detection – And Their Limitations
Public databases, like PubMed Source Plagiarism Detection, effectively identify external plagiarism by scanning publicly accessible content. However, they have critical limitations:
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Limited Coverage: Due to copyright and legal restrictions, these tools rely primarily on aggregated open-access content, leaving inherent gaps. Many images from subscription-based journals, proprietary lab data, or unpublished grant proposals are not publicly available, significantly limiting coverage.
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Uncertainty of Inclusion: Researchers have no way to verify if their previously published images are included in these public databases, creating blind spots around potential self-plagiarism.
My Database addresses these limitations by empowering researchers to build their own personalized repository. It ensures all your visuals—published, paywalled, confidential, or unpublished—are thoroughly screened, providing comprehensive protection beyond what open-access tools offer.
My Database vs. PubMed Source Database
Both My Database and PubMed Source Plagiarism Detection offer essential but distinct safeguards. PubMed detection primarily identifies plagiarism from publicly accessible sources, yet coverage is inherently limited due to copyright and licensing restrictions. Consequently, many research materials—especially proprietary or subscription-based—remain unverified by these tools.
In contrast, My Database allows researchers complete control, ensuring comprehensive protection that includes paywalled articles, proprietary images, and unpublished documents.
Given the rising prevalence of self-plagiarism—self-plagiarism retractions were 22% higher than those due to plagiarism—this proactive, personalized approach is increasingly vital for maintaining research integrity and originality.
(Source: Sevryugina & Li, 2025, Accountability in Research)
These two features work separately but complement each other, ensuring a full spectrum of integrity checks.
Key Benefits
Unmatched Protection Against Self‑Plagiarism
My Database thoroughly screens every new submission against your personal repository, dramatically reducing the risk of reusing your own published images.
Comprehensive and Personalized Coverage
Include all high‑risk visuals—whether from published work, restricted sources, or private data—ensuring a level of protection that conventional open‑access tools cannot match.
Seamless, Automated Workflow
Fully integrated within the Proofig AI framework, My Database operates automatically with minimal effort, providing continuous, real‑time protection for all your future manuscripts.
Enhanced Research Integrity
By preventing both unintentional and deliberate reuse of your own published images, My Database helps maintain the originality and credibility of your scientific publications.
Conclusion
My Database offers researchers an innovative, proactive defense against self‑plagiarism. By creating a personalized image repository and automatically comparing every new manuscript against your previously used visuals, it ensures that your work remains truly original and ethically sound. Protect your research and uphold the highest standards of academic integrity with My Database—your ultimate solution to preventing the reuse of your own published images.
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Learn more by visiting our FAQ on peer-reviewed articles and find pricing details for the Proofig AI research tool.