We bring together support and guidance on issues that have come about during this crisis. The collection includes articles on how authors, editors and reviewers are handling their work during this period and guidelines developed in response to the changing environment and workflow.
If you are a COPE member and have a particular publication ethics case that you would like to share with other members for discussion and advice on your next steps, we invite you to submit the case to the COPE Forum.
Support and guidance
The International COVID-19 suicide prevention research collaborative (ICSPRC) published guidelines for authors, peer-reviewers, university press offices and journal authors to consider when publishing about suicide during the pandemic in order to prevent suicide deaths and avoid stimulating an increased rate of suicides in vulnerable populations. March 2021
In an analysis of two medical journals which use an open peer review process, differences in the quality of peer review for papers submitted prior to and during the pandemic were identified. The review of Covid-19 papers did not emerge as less thorough but there was a shift in the quality criteria used to assess the manuscripts. February 2021
2020 saw a sharp increase in articles on all subjects being submitted to scientific journals. The changes in science publishing were seen in the speed of review, the number of preprints and the topics of research.
Nature: how COVID science changed publishing December 2020
A series of posts on the role of short fast books in responding to the pandemic, what risks the rise of such books might have and to ask whether the pandemic has changed academic publishing for good?
LSE: rapid response publishing November 2020
Strategies and programs that some companies have put in place to support staff and employees during a time of great uncertainty for many in the publishing industry.
SSP: supporting staff in the publishing industry October 2020
COVID-19 has led to new ways of working which have transformed research practices. This has created opportunities for research cultures to be more inclusive and accessible.
LSE Blog: inclusive post-pandemic research culture October 2020
The Lancet outline changes to their editorial practices to prevent similar problems to those that occurred in the publication and withdrawal of papers submitted by Surgisphere Corporation paper, hydroxychloroquine treatment of COVID-19.
The Lancet: learning from retraction September 2020
Article explaining the background to changes in editorial practices of peer review and author data sharing statements by the Lancet, following the retraction of a COVID-19 paper.
The Scientist: The Lancet alters editorial practices September 2020
New ways in which publishers and industry leaders can continue to support academic peer-reviewed research and the entire academic publishing ecosystem
Scholarly Kitchen: changes and challenges to scholarly communications: September 2020
Four interventions to help with finding reviewers and not overworking them
Wiley: peer review quality June 2020
Rapid publication can aggravate questionable research practices but there are solutions to these problems.
BMJ: assuring research integrity during a pandemic June 2020
Will the pandemic permanently alter academic publishing?
Nature: rapid rise in preprints June 2020
Pandemic research needs rapid publishing which presents integrity challenges
Nature Human Behaviour: safeguarding measures required June 2020
How swamped preprint servers are blocking bad coronavirus research
Nature: repositories screening more closely May 2020
COPE, like many organisations, is grappling with the impact of the coronavirus. There is worldwide concern over COVID-19 and its impact on our daily lives, both personal and professional. Journal editors may be unsure of what to do in this unprecedented situation. How is COVID-19 affecting editors and publishers?
Letter from the COPE Chair April 2020
The International Society for Medical Publication Professionals (ISMPP) have developed guidance related to authorship of peer-review publications and congress presentations in which author responsiveness has been affected due to COVID-19
ISMPP Guidance on authorship of peer-review publications in which Coronavirus disease has impacted author responsiveness
Suspension of face-to-face activities in the coronavirus pandemic sends researchers back to their manuscripts.
Shut-in scientists are spending more time on research papers April 2020
An initiative was launched to provide a single overarching reviewer pool and portable peer review system, across journals and platforms.
Hindawi: cross-publisher peer review initiative
The European Association of Science Editors encourages all editors to ensure that reports of research on COVID-19 meet required standards and comply with agreed guidelines, and that any limitations are clearly stated. This is reiterated in their call for high standards of research and editing editorial.
EASE Statement on quality standards April 2020
In this series, postgraduate students and researchers from Sub-Saharan Africa share the new challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic is bringing for their research and give advice to other researchers trying to adapt their research practices in light of the pandemic.
Authoraid: new norms new lockdown April 2020
The European Network of Research Integrity offices published a statement reminding researchers of the need to follow strict research integrity practices. One quote sums it up, "While fast results are clearly required in this critical situation, that is no excuse for bad research practices."
ENRIO: research integrity even more important for research during a pandemic April 2020
Page last updated: March 2021