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October 2025
Post-publication review | Geopolitical events
Welcome to the October issue of COPE Digest
A key pillar of COPE’s strategic plan is focused on upholding the integrity of the publishing process and the published record and to take corrective action where necessary. Amid new challenges arising for editors and publishers, and heightened scrutiny of publishing practices and editorial decisions, COPE recognises that guidance has to evolve in response to member needs and to ensure accountability of decision-making. COPE is committed to providing support for all involved in upholding publication integrity, and as part of this commitment, COPE volunteers have comprehensively updated the retraction guidelines and provided new guidance on expressions of concern. Both guidelines serve distinct but complementary roles in maintaining the integrity of the scholarly literature.
Read more to learn more about how these guidelines balance timeliness with fairness, address challenges such as paper mills and large-scale investigations, and reinforce accountability across the publication process. We welcome feedback.
READ THE EDITORIAL ([link removed])
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** NEW GUIDELINES!
EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN
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Advice for editors and publishers to ensure transparency:
* When editors should consider issuing an expression of concern.
* Content and form of expressions of concern.
* When they are not appropriate.
EXPRESSIONS OF CONCERN GUIDELINES ([link removed]) >
POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW: COPE FOCUS
Discover our carefully chosen collection of resources to help editors and publishers work with authors and institutions to take corrective action where necessary. You will find resources on corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern - from formal COPE positions to discussions and advice on individual cases:
* COPE guidance
* Endorsed guidance from other organisations
* Podcast
* eLearning module
* Cases submitted by COPE Members with advice
COPE FOCUS: POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW ([link removed]) >
NEW CASES
New cases were recently submitted to COPE Council and the COPE Forum for advice. View the cases with a summary of the discussion and advice offered:
* Dealing with a US directive on authorship of non-citizens ([link removed])
* Authors collecting social media data without group members’ consent ([link removed])
* Handling ethics declarations based on an online decision tool ([link removed])
** GEOPOLITICAL EVENTS AND SCHOLARLY PUBLISHING
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At our recent Forum Frits Rosendaal and Forum attendees explored how editors and publishers can uphold ethics, manage risks, and develop policies as geopolitical events increasingly impact scholarly publishing. Watch the introduction to the topic and add your comments.
VIDEO AND DISCUSSION ([link removed]) >
** REGISTER TODAY!
17-21 NOVEMBER 2025
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Publication Integrity Week is open to all. It's free for COPE Members, with a daily fee for non-members (waivers are available in certain circumstances). Find out more about what we have lined up in a week of discussions, case studies, and expert insights.
REGISTER TODAY ([link removed]) >
PROGRAMME
The full week's schedule is on the COPE website. Here are just a few of the sessions to give you a flavour of what to expect:
* How AI is changing scholarly publishing, and a session on the realities of how communities are, and will be, using the technology.
* What is Indigenous data sovereignty and should communities change policies and practices in respecting Indigenous rights over their data?
* How research integrity investigators (so-called sleuths) identify and communicate concerns, experiences with collaboration and credit, and strategies for responding to criticism.
* Addressing misconduct. A diverse range of speakers will share their own perspectives on this issue. What are the challenges and opportunities they see in preventing and addressing integrity concerns?
* A case workshop on retractions and expressions of concern. (COPE Members only)
* Authorship disputes. What is the role of editors and institutions in ensuring fair credit?
FULL PROGRAMME ([link removed]) >
** COPE FORUM
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FRIDAY 5 DECEMBER 2025
COPE Members Only
The next COPE Forum will be held on Friday 5 December. It begins with a discussion on the topic of conflicts of interest with COPE Council Members Mark Hooper, Director of Tricky Goose Training, and Loreta Tauginienė, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Academic Ethics. 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.
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** NEW GUIDELINES ADDRESS PAPER MILLS, THIRD PARTIES, AND MORE
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Retraction Watch covered COPE’s updated retraction guidelines, interviewing COPE Chair Nancy Chescheir and researcher Andrew Grey, and reported on how the changes target paper mills, improve the clarity of editorial notices, and address timeliness in editorial actions.
RETRACTION WATCH ARTICLE ([link removed]) >
** CHILEAN NETWORK OF SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS
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SANTIAGO, CHILE
COPE Council Member Daniel Ucko will take part in the third annual meeting of the Chilean network of scientific journals. Daniel will share insights into publication ethics principles and good practice.
The meeting will be held on 27-28 October 2025 in Santiago, Chile with an audience to include public universities and scientific journals.
** INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON OPEN SCIENCE
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WUHAN, CHINA
COPE Council Member Jason Hu is invited by the Ministry of Education's engineering research center for digital publishing intelligent services to take part in their International Symposium on Open Science 2025: Academic Sharing and Collaborative Innovation during November 2025. Jason will represent COPE to bring ethical standards for scholarly communication into the discussions.
** Submitting a guest editorial or opinion piece to COPE
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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
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Mark Hooper, COPE Council Member
Managing Editor, Sarah Gillmore, COPE Engagement & Outreach Officer
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