I am working on composite material modification with the combinations X + A + P and X + A + Q (where, X, A, P, Q are different materials). For both works, I used the same testing methodologies (experimental program). Now, I have enough data for two separate research articles on each of the combinations X + A + P and X + A + Q. Is it acceptable if I submit two papers that use the same experimental methodology but different material combinations? Note that providing all of the results for the two combinations in one paper would make it overly long.
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3The paper would be overly long because you feel that way, or overly long relative to various journal guidelines?– Jon CusterCommented Nov 18, 2021 at 20:07
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1Continuing Jon Custer's point, its also worth considering if the length can be mitigated. If its from the discussion it may be tricky, but if its just the sheer amount of figures and tables, some of these could moved to the Supporting Information if they are just another way of conveying the same info or are interesting, but not the main result of the paper.– TyberiusCommented Nov 18, 2021 at 22:09
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It really depends on the true meaning of your schematic resume above. I think we can't judge. It even depends on the journal you have in mind.– AlchimistaCommented Nov 19, 2021 at 9:06
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@Tyberius Thank you for your input! The materials P and Q in the combinations X + A + P and X + A + Q come from distinct sources and behave differently. Also, it is not possible to accommodate the whole discussion in a single article.– 196104002Commented Nov 21, 2021 at 7:22
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2 Answers
It is possible to write two publications in such a case, no problem. This is a common strategy. Make sure to cite the other work where appropriate.
However, in a paper you have to address a specific research question. It could well be the case that especially the second paper is only an incremental step forward because it does not include too many fundamentally new results. So while I see no ethical issue here, you still could ask yourself if you might be able to write one very strong paper with your data. If that is true, of course, depends very much on your actual results.
answered Nov 18, 2021 at 9:58
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Thank you for your reply! Incorporating all of the results into a single paper would make it excessively lengthy. Commented Nov 18, 2021 at 12:31
Is it interesting to compare the two compositions? If so, combining the results in a single paper may make for a better, stronger article, as Snijderfrey suggested. If not, separate papers that dive into the specifics of the materials may be preferable.
You say that "providing all of the results for the two combinations in one paper would make it overly long". That's probably true, but invites the question: do you really need to provide all the results? Information dumps of the "here's everything we did" variety rarely make for the best papers. In contrast, if you have a clear story and select results and design figures accordingly, it can make for a more interesting and insightful article. Often less is more. Other results can maybe be included in supplemental material, or left out entirely. Note: I'm not saying this is a route you need to take (you know your results, we don't), just noting that "providing all of the results" shouldn't be the main goal.
