Promoting integrity in research and its publication

COPE brings together all those involved in scholarly research and its publication to strengthen the network of support, education and debate in publication ethics

The discussion topic at the next COPE Forum is "Ethical considerations around watchlists". Whether or not you are a member you can add comments to the discussion before the Forum.

Our core practices

Core practices are the policies and practices journals and publishers need, to reach the highest standards in publication ethics. We include cases with advice, guidance for day-to-day practice, education modules and events on topical issues, to support journals and publishers fulfil their policies.

Your publication ethics case

COPE Members: do you have a publication ethics issue in your journal or research institution and need help with the next steps? Send in your case for discussion among the participants of the Forum.

Discussion and advice

an image of curly arrows linking icons representing research institutions on one side with journals and publishers on the other side. Text in the middle of the curly arrows is ‘communication and collaboration’

Effective communication and collaboration between institutions and journals on cases of research integrity and publication misconduct is essential. COPE makes a number of recommendations, for institutions and journals, to achieve this.

What should an institution do when a journal raises a concern about research or publication integrity? Use the flowchart for a step-by-step process on handling the issue.

In Part 2 of this COPE Commentary Alysa Levene addresses perhaps the most lively area of debate on this topic at the moment: the role of artificial intelligence (AI).

Cases on the topics of authorship, paper mills, image integrity, and ethical oversight are now available. They were discussed, with advice given, by the COPE Forum.

Action against paper mills

Image of Zara Manwaring author of the guest article. Text 'Guest editorial Tackling Paper Mills:; a society publisher's perspective by Zara Manwaring, Portland Press'

A society publisher's perspective. Zara Manwaring describes the challenge faced by the journal Bioscience Reports in 2020, when an anonymous reader alerted them to potential issues in over 50 papers. She outlines the investigation, subsequent correction of the literature, and the processes and policies which have been revised.

COPE guidance with practical steps for editors and publishers dealing with paper mills, empowering decision-making at batch level and supporting timely investigations.

United2Act, an international collaboration committed to addressing the challenge of paper mills in scholarly publishing, outlines five key areas of action against the impact of paper mills on the integrity of academic research and publishing.

An article highlighting why United2Act is needed in the global effort to fight fraud which corrupts the scholarly record.