Similarity Check

This feature enables Crossref-member publications, who have agreed to participate in the Similarity Check plagiarism detection service, to compare submissions to the full text of published material (and any other valid sources available) in the Similarity Check database. For more information on Crossref Similarity Check, see the Crossref Similarity Check page on the iThenticate website.

For use information, see View Similarity Check Results.

The feature may be configured (by Article Type) to send files automatically to Similarity Check. When enabled, the system sends a copy of the submission's Reviewer PDF to Similarity Check at a defined point in the workflow: on initial submission, on first revision, and/or on setting final disposition to Accept.

In addition, Editors and Publishers (with permission) can select and send submission files manually to Similarity Check via buttons on the submission's File Inventory page. The user can send the Reviewer PDF (the PDF version built on submission for sending to the Reviewer) or select submission files to send. Files must be types accepted by the Similarity Check tool. (See the Crossref Similarity Check page for current information.)

After files are transferred to Similarity Check, and the system periodically checks for the completed Similarity Report, which is sent back from Similarity Check.

Users with authorized Editor and Publisher roles can access the check results via a link, Similarity Check/iThenticate Results, on the File Inventory page, the Details page (if configured), and in the Action column for the submission. The submission's Similarity Check score appears next to the link.

The Similarity Check Results page shown to Editor and Publisher roles lists information for each time a check was initiated: date of check, revision number, trigger (event if automatic, initiator's name if manual), name of file sent, report status, and score. For each check's results, a checkbox option may be selected to ignore the score.

Authors and Reviewer roles may also be given permission to view Similarity Check results. These roles are given access only to results based on the Reviewer PDF (not any other submission files).

To Configure:

Contact your Aries Account Coordinator to enable Similarity Check Integration for your publication. The publication must also have a valid Similarity Check account with Crossref.

Go to PolicyManager > Submission Policies > Configure Similarity Check. Settings shown on this page depend on which version of the iThenticate API is enabled for the publication.

For API version 1:

Make configurations in iThenticate before continuing with the steps below. Log into iThenticate and create a folder to receive files transferred by EM. See specific instructions on the iThenticate website.

Enable Automatic Transfer to Similarity Check (powered by iThenticate): Check the box next to this setting to enable the background transfer of files from EM/PM to Similarity Check.
Enter the Username and Password of the publication's iThenticate account.
Click the Select button to validate the username/password and select the name of the destination folder configured above.
Set the threshold value for Similarity Score. Enter a number in the text box. (This score appears next to the Similarity Check link in the Action column. A score over the defined threshold value appears in red.)
Enter instructions to display on the Similarity Check Results page. Use the text box to edit default instructions and/or add custom instructions.
When finished, click Submit.

For API version 2:

Make configurations in iThenticate before continuing with the steps below. Log into iThenticate and follow instructions on the iThenticate website.

Enable Automatic Transfer to Similarity Check (powered by iThenticate): Check the box next to this setting to enable the background transfer of files from EM/PM to Similarity Check.
Enter API key and URL obtained from iThenticate.
Click Test Connection button to verify the credentials.
Set the threshold value for Similarity Score. Enter a number in the text box. (This score appears next to the Similarity Check link in the Action column. A score over the defined threshold value appears in red.)
Set Report Parameters: Check the box next to one or more settings to define report parameters.
Enter instructions to display on the Similarity Check Results page. Use the text box to edit default instructions and/or add custom instructions.
When finished, click Submit.

To set the workflow trigger(s) for automatically sending a file to Similarity Check, go to PolicyManager > Submission Policies > Edit Article Types. On the Edit Article Types page, click the Edit link next to the applicable Article Type. On the Edit Article Type page, go to the Similarity Check section and check the box next to one or more desired trigger(s). When finished, click Submit. The available workflow triggers are:

Send Reviewer PDF on Initial Submission
Send Reviewer PDF on First Revision
Send Reviewer PDF on Final Disposition to Accept

For details on Article Type configuration, see Configure Article Types.

Note: Changes to configuration of an existing Article Type are not applied retroactively. New configurations will not affect submissions in process. They will apply only to submissions initiated after the configuration change.

Go to RoleManager > Editor or Publisher Role. Grant permissions to applicable roles:

Initiate Similarity Check: Allows the user to send files to Similarity Check.
View Similarity Check Results: Allows the user to see Similarity Check score and report via a link on the File Inventory or Details page.

Go to RoleManager > Author Role. Grant permission:

View Similarity Check Results

A link to Similarity Check results may be included on custom Details page layouts. For detailed instructions, see Configure Details Page.