View this email in your browser ([link removed])
September 2025
Retractions guidelines updated
Welcome to the September issue of COPE Digest
A lot has happened in scholarly publishing during the six or so years since the last update to the retraction guidelines. Misconduct has evolved and become more sophisticated, coordinated and widespread. New AI-based forms of misconduct have become more common. COPE’s retraction guidelines ([link removed]) have been updated to address this. However, the landscape is changing so rapidly that it will surely be much less than six years before another update to this document is needed.
While the core purpose of retraction remains unchanged, to correct the literature and alert readers to seriously flawed content that cannot be relied upon, the updated guidelines provide a more detailed and expanded framework to deal with an increasingly complex landscape of research misconduct. In particular, with several high-profile cases recently where publishers have had to issue mass retractions for systematic manipulation, the guidelines place increased emphasis on the core purpose of a retraction: to correct the literature and ensure its integrity, not to punish the author.
The new guidelines add a more comprehensive list of reasons for retraction. The 2019 version cites issues such as major error, plagiarism, and redundant publication as reasons for retraction. The updated version expands upon these to include issues such as image irregularities, fictitious data, the undisclosed use of artificial intelligence and widespread systematic manipulation of the publication process (eg, paper mills).
The concept of an editor losing confidence in the content of an article, after having identified one or more of these concerns, is introduced as the basis of an editorial decision to retract. The concept of "batch retractions" to deal with large-scale manipulation of the publication process is introduced. Batch retraction acknowledges that there is sometimes a need for a coordinated (within and between journals and publishers) response to widespread fraud.
The 2025 version also offers more options for handling problematic articles by introducing different forms of retraction, for example, "retraction with replacement" and "retraction with removal". "Retraction with replacement" would be appropriate for articles with serious errors that change the findings but don’t invalidate the underlying scholarship, while "retraction with removal" is reserved for extremely rare cases such as legal or public health risks if the material remains easily available. These forms of retraction are consistent with those recommended in the NISO Communication of Retractions, Removals, and Expressions of Concern guidelines ([link removed]) (CREC).
Howard Browman, COPE Trustee
** IMPORTANT CHANGES TO RETRACTION GUIDELINES
------------------------------------------------------------
* new batch retractions section
* new communicating with authors section
* editor roles clarified
* expanded possible legal implications section
* aligned with the new Expressions of Concern guidelines.
RETRACTION GUIDELINES ([link removed])
NEW: EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN GUIDELINES
An expression of concern is a notice to alert readers to major and credible concerns that have been raised about the reliability of a publication, but do not meet the criteria for a retraction, as outlined in the COPE retraction guidelines, or conclusive evidence will not or cannot be obtained for some time
COPE's expressions of concern guidelines give advice to editors on their purpose, potential challenges, and how they should be issued. The guidelines clarify when and how expressions of concern should be used, who should issue them, and how such notices should be resolved, helping editors respond appropriately when evidence is inconclusive.
Editors should review the guidelines to ensure that they have clearly available public policies in place that explain when various types of amendments, including expressions of concern, are used.
EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN GUIDELINES ([link removed])
** REGISTRATION IS OPEN!
17-21 NOVEMBER 2025
------------------------------------------------------------
We are pleased to announce that priority registration is open for COPE Members. Registration for non-members will open on 25 September. Find out more about what's lined up in a week of discussions, case studies, and expert insights.
PUBLICATION INTEGRITY WEEK ([link removed])
** COPE FORUM
------------------------------------------------------------
MONDAY 29 SEPTEMBER 2025
COPE Members Only
The next COPE Forum will be held on Monday 29 September. It begins with a topic discussion about geopolitical events and scholarly publishin ([link removed]) g. Following this, participants discuss publication ethics issues submitted by COPE Members.
COPE Members: if you have a publication ethics issue you're currently dealing with and need advice from other Members, submit your case for discussion at the September Forum.
[link removed]
[link removed]
** AI DILEMMAS IN SCHOLARLY PUBLISHING
Insights beyond the topic discussion
------------------------------------------------------------
Building on COPE's 'Emerging dilemmas in AI' topic discussion, Marie Soulière and Hong Zhou map outstanding questions and comments into four key themes in their Scholarly Kitchen post "From detection to disclosure — Key takeaways on AI ethics from COPE’s Forum".
SCHOLARLY KITCHEN ARTICLE > ([link removed])
** SHAPING GLOBAL STANDARDS IN PUBLICATION ETHICS
------------------------------------------------------------
The Science Integrity Alliance has released the inaugural issue of its magazine, REACH (Research Highlights and Current Happenings), which features an article contributed by COPE.
You can find the article by Nancy Chescheir and Natalie Ridgeway in the 'Milestones' feature on page 34 of the magazine.
REACH ARTICLE ([link removed]) >
** GUEST EDITED COLLECTIONS
------------------------------------------------------------
ONLINE
COPE Council Member Marie Soulière is invited to present at an Asian Council of Science Editors (ACSE) webinar on safeguarding integrity of guest-edited collections. Marie will share insights from the recently released COPE and STM guidance on guest edited collections. The webinar, on 8 September 2025, will provide practical insights and encourage the guest editors to benefit from these guidelines.
ASIAN COUNCIL OF SCIENCE EDITORS WEBINAR ([link removed]) >
** Submitting a guest editorial or opinion piece to COPE
------------------------------------------------------------
We welcome guest editorials and opinion articles regarding research and publication ethics from COPE members. Please read the COPE guest editorial policy ([link removed]) before submitting your article.
** COPE Digest edtiors
------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Hooper, COPE Council Member
Managing Editor, Sarah Gillmore, COPE Engagement & Outreach Officer
============================================================
** facebook.com/publicationethics ([link removed])
** facebook.com/publicationethics ([link removed])
** @C0PE ([link removed])
** @C0PE ([link removed])
** LinkedIn ([link removed])
** LinkedIn ([link removed])
** Publicationethics.org ([link removed])
Copyright ©2025 COPE,
All rights reserved.
Registered charity No 1123023. Registered in England and Wales, Company No 6389120
Registered office: New Kings Court, Tollgate, Chandler's Ford, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 3LG, UK
You are receiving this email because you or your journal is a member of COPE or you have subscribed to COPE emails.
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.
