Editor's Note

Abstract

Recently, there has been a survey study regarding publication ethics knowledge among 264 respondents from various countries.¹ The survey results reveal that only 36.7% were aware of International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) authorship criteria² while 44.3% reported including authors with no or limited significant contribution to an article.¹ Furthermore, only 42.4% of the respondents had been formerly trained in publication ethics (also known as research integrity or responsible conduct of research).

Although, the findings from the study may not represent publication ethics knowledge among Thai researchers. The results still point out international researchers’ lack of awareness and knowledge. In RMJ’s editorial experience, we have faced problems such as inappropriate authorship, plagiarism, or falsification. Dealing with these problems is often difficult. Some authors may quietly accept and try their luck elsewhere, while some authors angrily respond as an insult to their reputation. Journal editors should not just detect and reject the manuscript. As part of the scientific publication, RMJ editorial team believe that the prevention of future misconduct is also a responsibility of the journal editorial team. Beyond education, informing the authors’ institutions is essential to guarantee proper institutional oversight.

There is an organization called COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics)³ which provides education and support for editors, publishers, and researchers regarding publication ethics. CPOE provides best practices and guidance for various problems and difficult situations regarding publication ethics.