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</form> </div> </header> <div class="hero hero--dark hero--space-after"> <div class="hero__row"> <div class="hero__col"> <div class="hero__breadcrumb"> <h2 class="element-invisible">You are here</h2><p class="breadcrumb"><a href="/">Home</a> <span title="Become a member, find an existing member, or read more about COPE and what we do." class="nolink">About COPE</span></p> </div> <div class="hero__title"> <a id="main-content"></a> <h1 id="page-title">Become a member</h1> </div> <div class="hero__bottom"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="page-main"> <div class="page-main__row"> <div class="page-main__col"> <main> <section id="content" class="region region-content"> <div id="block-system-main" class="block block-system clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div id="node-19" class="node node-page "> <div class="sidebar sidebar--offset"> <div class="sidebar__body"> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Becoming a member of COPE shows that you, your journal, publisher, organisation, university or research institute聽intends to follow the highest standards of publication ethics and to apply COPE principles of publication ethics outlined in the <a href="https://publicationethics.org/core-practices">Core Practices</a>. By joining COPE you will help support our work in promoting publication ethics, and providing advice for editors and publishers.</p> <h2>Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing</h2> <p>COPE is just one of a number of organisations that is seeing a large rise in applications for membership from new journals. Although we very much want to encourage and support legitimate new journals, we are also mindful that many new journals are not currently sufficiently transparent about their business practices and authors in particular may be unable to judge the legitimacy of these journals. Together with聽<a href="https://oaspa.org/">Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association</a>聽(OASPA),聽<a href="https://doaj.org/">Directory of Open Access Journals</a>聽(DOAJ), and聽聽<a href="http://wame.org/about">World Association of Medical Editors</a>聽(WAME) we have therefore compiled a minimum set of criteria that journals will be assessed against when they apply for membership at one of our organisations.</p> <p>The <a href="https://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines-new/principles-transparency-and-best-practice-scholarly-publishing">Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing</a> describe these criteria, and we welcome <a href="https://publicationethics.org/contact-us">feedback</a> on them. We encourage authors and anyone else who is unfamiliar with a journal to use these criteria in assessing a journal.聽</p> <p><a href="https://publicationethics.org/resources/guidelines-new/principles-transparency-and-best-practice-scholarly-publishing"><img alt="" src="/files/u7140/COPE_PofTransparency_MEMBER_740x355.png" style="height:182px; margin:3px; width:380px" /></a></p> <h2>Benefits of membership</h2> <p>COPE Members can:</p> <ul> <li>receive advice on individual cases via the Forum (bringing cases in person or by phone)</li> <li>attend the annual seminar (free for members)</li> <li>access the eLearning package</li> <li>use the ethical audit tool to see how well their journals match COPE鈥檚 guidelines</li> <li>use the COPE logo in their journal</li> <li>use sample letters to help draft their own where there is potential misconduct</li> <li>stand for election to COPE Council</li> </ul> <p>as well as using the other resources available to members and non-members including the:</p> <ul> <li>flowcharts</li> <li>Core Practices</li> <li>Best Practice guidelines</li> <li>newsletter</li> <li>cases database</li> <li>podcasts of forum discussions</li> <li>retraction guidelines</li> <li>other guidelines</li> </ul> <h2><a id="eligibility" name="eligibility"></a>Eligibility</h2> <ul> <li>Peer-reviewed scholarly journals that have been publishing for a minimum of 12 months;</li> <li>Companies that publish peer-reviewed scholarly journals; and</li> <li>Individuals or companies who are interested in publication ethics and are working in or associated with the publication of peer-reviewed scholarly journals may become an individual or corporate member. Journal editors or publishers are not eligible for individual or corporate membership.</li> <li>Universities and research institutes who conduct and publish research (membership opening late 2023).</li> </ul> <h3>Membership subscription fees</h3> <p><a href="https://publicationethics.org/cope-membership-fees">Membership subscription fees</a> depend on the type of membership. <a href="https://publicationethics.org/reduced-membership-fee">Reduced membership subscription fees</a>, or full reduction (free membership) are available for organisations who meet the criteria.</p> <h2>Before you apply</h2> <p>Please ensure you have read the COPE <a href="https://publicationethics.org/membership-application-faq">Membership application FAQ</a>, which summarises the most frequently asked questions we receive in relation to applications for membership.</p> <p><strong>PLEASE NOTE</strong>: We have launched a <strong>new journal membership application form</strong>. If you experience any difficulties accessing the form, please email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d5a2b0b795a5a0b7b9bcb6b4a1bcbabbb0a1bdbcb6a6fbbaa7b2eaa6a0b7bfb0b6a1e89fbaa0a7bbb4b9f0e7e5b8b0b8b7b0a7a6bdbca5f0e7e5b4a5a5b9bcb6b4a1bcbabbf0e7e5b3baa7b8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8ff8eaedcffffaede3e6eceefbe6e0e1eafbe7e6ecfca1e0fde8">[email protected]</span></a> with details of the issue you are experiencing. Please let us know what country you are in so that we can identify and resolve any country-specific issues.</p> <h3>Join COPE</h3> <h4>1-4 journals</h4> <p><a class="button" href="https://publicationethics.org/membership/apply/journal-application">Apply for journal membership</a></p> <h4>5 or more journals</h4> <p><a class="button" href="https://publicationethics.org/publisher-membership-application-form-1">Apply for publisher membership</a></p> <h4>Universities and research institutes</h4> <p><a class="button" href="https://publicationethics.org/membership/universities-research-institutes">University & research institute membership</a></p> <h4>Individuals and聽Corporate</h4> <p><a class="button" href="https://publicationethics.org/individual-or-corporate-membership-application-form">Individual or Corporate membership</a></p> <p>For any other queries about membership, please use our <a href="/contact-us">contact form</a>.</p> <h3>Related pages</h3> <ul> <li><a 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