Q: Can we use figures and then use them again or part of them as a supplemintary materials?

Thank you for your question!

In academic manuscripts, the supplementary material is typically used to provide additional details or data that are not included in the main text. As for duplicating figures from the main text in the supplementary material, it is generally acceptable but may depend on the specific guidelines set by the journal or conference you are submitting to.

Before duplicating figures, authors should consider the purpose of the supplementary material. If the figures are crucial to the understanding of the main findings or arguments presented in the paper, it is generally recommended to include them in the main text. However, if the supplementary material serves to provide additional supporting information or extensive data that might interrupt the flow of the main text, duplicating figures in the supplementary material can be appropriate.

If authors decide to duplicate figures, there are a few best practices to keep in mind:

They should clearly indicate in the figure captions and in the text that the figures are duplicated in the supplementary material. This helps readers easily locate the relevant figures in both the main text and the supplementary material.

They must ensure that the figures in the supplementary material are of sufficient quality and resolution for readers to interpret them effectively.

They would need to verify the guidelines of the target journal or conference. Some publishers may have specific instructions regarding figure duplication or prefer that all figures be included in the main text.