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How COPE will respond to a media enquiry

Tips for journalists and press officers

  • Provide as much detail as possible regarding the item or issue.
  • Indicate if you wish to speak to someone or whether a response by email is acceptable.
  • Contact us as far in advance as possible. All Officers, Trustees and Council Members are volunteers and located globally, so employment commitments or time zones may mean a response is not immediate.
  • We will not be able to comment on specific cases without having a thorough understanding of all the facts. We may, however, be able to respond to the issue in a more general way.
  • Keep COPE informed of a publication date (preferably before it is published).
  • Send COPE the URL of the published piece after publication. 

How COPE will respond

  • COPE will respond as soon as possible to the enquiry and will:
    • inform you immediately if the question is not within our remit
    • ask for a deadline
    • ask for more detail (if needed) to ensure we have the right spokesperson
    • explain that we will try to find an appropriate spokesperson, noting that all Council Members are volunteers and located globally, so employment commitments or time zones may mean a response is not immediate.
  • COPE may need to consult others within the Trustee Board or Council depending on the topic of the enquiry and so may need extra time to respond.

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About COPE

COPE is committed to educate and support editors, publishers, universities, research institutes, and others involved in publication ethics, with the aim of moving the culture of publishing towards one where ethical practices become the norm. Our approach is firmly in the direction of influencing through education, guidance and support of our members alongside the fostering of professional debate in the wider community.

COPE’s 10 Core Practices, which includes resources such as guidelines, flowcharts and real publication ethics cases, covers many ethical issues to help editors in their day to day work.

COPE was established in 1997 by a small group of journal editors and now has over 13,000 members worldwide from all academic fields.

COPE is a global organisation with Trustees and Council Members representing editors, publishers, universities, and research institutes, from various academic disciplines.

Page updated: 19 January 2023