Publication ethics

Publishing ethics is a crucial part of the scientific publishing process. It encompasses principles and guidelines that ensure integrity, credibility and quality of research results. Many scientific databases and indexing platforms require updated information on publishing ethics from the journals they include. This makes it easier for researchers, readers, and other stakeholders to identify and assess the journal's commitment to ethical publishing. We encourage FRITT-journals to provide information regarding their publishing ethics on their websites. 

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) is an international organization that works with journals, authors, and editors worldwide to promote best practices in publishing ethics. They have developed a set of international standards for publishing ethics that spans different fields, ensuring quality in scientific literature. 

Standards for Authors:  

• The research being reported should have been conducted in an ethical and responsible manner and should comply with all relevant legislation. 
• Researchers should present their results clearly, honestly, and without fabrication, falsification or inappropriate data manipulation. 
• Researchers should strive to describe their methods clearly and unambiguously so that their findings can be confirmed by others. 
• Researchers should adhere to publication requirements that submitted work is original, is not plagiarized, and has not been published elsewhere. 
• Authors should take collective responsibility for submitted and published work.  
• The authorship of research publications should accurately reflect individuals’ contributions to the work and its reporting. 
• Funding sources and relevant conflicts of interest should be disclosed. 

Taken from: COPE’s international standards for authors. 

Instructions for Editors: 

• Editors are accountable and should take responsibility for everything they publish. 
• Editors should make fair and unbiased decisions independent from commercial consideration and ensure a fair and appropriate peer review process. 
• Editors should adopt editorial policies that encourage maximum transparency and complete, honest reporting. 
• Editors should guard the integrity of the published record by issuing corrections and retractions when needed and pursuing suspected or alleged research and publication misconduct. 
• Editors should pursue reviewer and editorial misconduct. 
• Editors should critically assess the ethical conduct of studies in humans and animals. 
• Peer reviewers and authors should be told what is expected of them. 
• Editors should have appropriate policies in place for handling editorial conflicts of interest. 

Taken from: COPE’s international standards for editors.