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Facilitation and Integrity Subcommittee

The primary role of the Facilitation and Integrity Subcommittee is not to adjudicate complaints, but instead to facilitate the resolution of disputes in a manner that is consistent with COPE's mission.

PLEASE NOTE: COPE will only consider complaints or concerns against our member editors, journals or publishers. COPE will not consider complaints or concerns against member universities or research institutes. COPE does not undertake investigations, and cannot consider cases that are the subject of ongoing legal procedures.

How to submit your concern

  1. Please read the Facilitation and Integrity FAQ, which answers many common questions about the Facilitation and Integrity process at COPE.
  2. Please complete the form below to submit your concern or issue to the Facilitation and Integrity subcommittee. Your concern will be reviewed initially by the Facilitation and Integrity Officer who will proceed according to the flowchart "Concerns about members raised for review by COPE" (PDF).

[Background to why the Complaints subcommittee became the Facilitation and Integrity subcommittee and to COPE’s sanctions policy.]

Expectations

What can you expect from COPE?

COPE will:

  • conduct a fair and objective review of the presenter’s concerns according to our remit. Note: COPE will review procedural matters and cannot make determinations on individual editorial decisions
  • provide updates to the presenter every 4 weeks (or when an update is available, if sooner)
  • provide a written summary, at conclusion of the case, to the presenter of the issue and the member, with advice and guidance under the same rules as if the case had been submitted to the COPE Forum

What can you expect from the COPE member?

The COPE member will:

  • respond in a timely manner or indicate to COPE when they will be able to respond
  • respond to all points posed to them. If no response is received, COPE will follow-up with the member separately regarding our expectations

What does COPE expect from you?

Presenter of the concern/issue will:

  • maintain a polite and collegial tone at all times
  • understand that COPE’s role is educational, it is not a regulatory or statutory body
  • read and acknowledge COPE’s remit: COPE does not undertake investigations into cases but reviews the steps the journal took in reaching its decision
  • not discuss the case on social media or blogging sites while the case is being reviewed

Submit your concern

We only consider complaints or concerns against our member editors, journals or publishers. Since you answered 'no' , we will not be taking your concern/issue further.

If the journal and publisher have not yet evaluated the issue, COPE is unable to continue with your concerns. Your concern/issue must have gone through the journal and/or publisher's own processes for us to consider it.

Files must be less than 2 MB.
Allowed file types: gif jpg jpeg png txt rtf pdf doc docx xls xlsx ods.