View this email in your browser ([link removed])
July 2026

Citation integrity | Core Principles

Welcome!
This month, COPE is introducing two important frameworks, which together establish a shared foundation for ethical excellence: new Core Principles and the reintroduction of a formal Code of Conduct for members.

The Core Principles articulate the values that underpin responsible, transparent, and fair scholarly publishing practices. While publication ethics can be complex, the principles offer a clear starting point. They are designed to guide decision-making across policies, editorial practices and processes, and responses to ethical concerns.

The principles also provide a common reference point for the wider research community, supporting efforts to address systemic bias and strengthen accountability.

The six principles are: Accountability; Fairness, justice, and equity; Integrity; Rigour and accuracy; Stewardship; Transparency.
Reintroduced in response to member feedback, and replacing the previous Core Practices, the Code of Conduct sets the professional standard for all members to uphold in their day-to-day activities. Adherence to the Code is now a requirement of membership, and we have provided a 12-month transition period for full implementation by members. We ask all members to review these frameworks and consider how they can be embedded within your organisation’s policies and practices to help strengthen trust across our global community.

COPE'S CORE PRINCIPLES AND CODE OF CONDUCT ([link removed])


** INTRODUCTION TO PUBLICATION ETHICS WEBINAR RECORDING
------------------------------------------------------------
COPE Advisor Dr James Kigera, STM's Sarah Phibbs, and Blessing Mawire of Research4Life spoke at this webinar, hosted by Research4Life. James gave a practical introduction to COPE's role in providing education and support to journals and publishers with useful guidance and tools that are freely available.

The webinar is part of the Research4Life Publishing Futures series supporting editors and publishers to shape the future of global knowledge exchange.

WATCH THE VIDE ([link removed]) O ([link removed]) >


** COPE CHINA SEMINAR
------------------------------------------------------------
On 17 June, attendees from across the research publishing ecosystem gathered at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine for the 2026 COPE China Seminar, co-sponsored by CUJS and CMAPH. Participants focused on a shared challenge: how to govern research integrity across a rapidly evolving ecosystem shaped by AI-generated content, paper mills and new forms of misconduct.

CHINA SEMINAR HIGHLIGHTS ([link removed]) >


** ASIAN COUNCIL OF SCIENCE EDITORS ANNUAL CONFERENCE
------------------------------------------------------------
SATURDAY 15 AUGUST 2026

Renee Hoch will represent COPE on the panel discussion "Restoring trust in practice: what works and what doesn't". Panelists will discuss initiatives implemented across editorial management, reviewer engagement, policy enforcement, and workflow transparency, reflecting on what has delivered measurable improvement and where challenges persist.

REGISTER FOR THE ACSE ANNUAL CONFERENCE ([link removed]) >


** PUBLICATION INTEGRITY WEEK 2026
------------------------------------------------------------
MONDAY 2 TO THURSDAY 5 NOVEMBER 2026

Save the date in your calendars as we continue to build a week of virtiual events around this year’s theme: Rooted in principles, united in purpose. 2 to 5 November 2026.


** NEW CASES
------------------------------------------------------------
Our June Forum heard four new cases submitted for advice. View the cases with a summary of the discussion and advice offered:
* Federal government disputes validity of local ethics approval ([link removed])
* Handling a redundant publication 8 years after publication ([link removed])
* Managing out of scope content post-publication when no integrity concerns are identified ([link removed])
* Handling statistical errors in a published article but with no other evidence of misconduc ([link removed]) t ([link removed])


** UPDATES TO CASES
------------------------------------------------------------
* Authorship dispute affecting license to publish ([link removed])
* Handling duplicated content across 20-year-old articles ([link removed])
* Editors suspect that reviewers are using artificial intelligence ([link removed])

WHEN CITATION INTEGRITY IS QUESTIONED

At our recent COPE Forum, Gráinne McNamara and Elena Vicario examined concerns raised about reference integrity in a number of publications. In these cases, references have been suggested to be irrelevant, erroneous, or even completely non-existent.
Attendees joined to discuss what it means for the editorial workflow and what an Editor should consider when faced with questionable integrity of references.

Watch the introduction to the discussion and add your comments.

VIDEO AND DISCUSSION ([link removed]) >

NEW COPE COUNCIL MEMBERS

We are delighted to welcome four new Council Members: Adya Misra, Sam Illingworth, Amy Kullas, and Laura Wilson. They bring expertise in the development of ethics policies, investigation and resolution of integrity issues, and research into generative AI in academic publishing and peer review.

COUNCIL MEMBERS ([link removed]) >


** FABRICATION AND FALSIFICATION: ELEARNING
------------------------------------------------------------
COPE Members only

In these eLearning modules you will learn how fabrication and falsification are defined, tools to help you investigate, and steps you can take if you suspect fabrication or falsification in an article.

ELEARNING MODULES ([link removed]) >


** YOUR PUBLICATION ETHICS CASES
------------------------------------------------------------
COPE Members only

If you have a publication ethics issue you're currently dealing with and need advice from other COPE members, submit your case ([link removed]) for discussion and advice at the Forum or from COPE Council Members.


** 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 Editors:
------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Hooper, COPE Council Member
Managing Editor, Sarah Gillmore, COPE Engagement & Outreach Officer

============================================================
** LinkedIn ([link removed])
** LinkedIn ([link removed])
** facebook.com/publicationethics ([link removed])
** facebook.com/publicationethics ([link removed])
** YouTube ([link removed])
** YouTube ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])
** Email (mailto:[email protected])
** Email (mailto:[email protected])
** Publicationethics.org ([link removed])
Copyright ©2026 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])
.