Abstract

The primary role of COPE (the Committee on Publication Ethics) is to provide advice and guidance to jour-nal editors and publishers on ethical issues. COPE also expects its mem-ber journals to follow its Code of Con-duct (1). The Code emphasizes that edi-tors have a duty to pursue cases of sus-pected misconduct but makes it clear that such cases should be investigated by the researchers’ institutions, not by the journal.

Key words: COPE, Guidelines