SSCI Journal Indexing strives to share outstanding and robust research. We take a positive and proactive approach to preventing and addressing errors and misconduct. We provide robust training and policies for our editors, and we commit to supporting researchers with best practice in their research.

code of conduct
Research Integrity Course: An overview on research and publication ethics

Introduction to research integrity at SSCI Journal Indexing

This one-page introduction to research integrity at SSCI Journal Indexing, including recent activities, can be viewed in English, German, Chinese, Japanese and French.

Research Integrity (English)

Research Integrity (German)

Research Integrity (Chinese)

Research Integrity (Japanese)

Research Integrity (French)

SSCI Journal Indexing Research Integrity Group

How our Research Integrity Team works, and the process we follow when an issue has been detected on a manuscript.

Concerns

To report or comment on research integrity concerns regarding any content published by SSCI Journal Indexing, please contact the relevant publishing manager or editor via the product homepage. If no publishing contact is identified, please share your concerns with our team below by sending an email to ethics.reporting [@] springernature.com

meet the team

Research Integrity shoP_Chris_Graf_280x280uld be synonymous with research best practice. We strive to implement tools, training and processes that support Research Integrity, and ultimately help make research better. That includes training for our internal and external editors; improving transparency and openness with our policies and systems; and using technology to increasingly recognise research misconduct.

Chris Graf, Director of Research Integrity

Chris leads our expert team in developing and implementing our strategy for research integrity. He also volunteers as chair of the governance board for the STM Integrity Hub, and as programme committee member for the World Conference on Research Integrity

Prevention

We provide robust training and resources to maintain the highest standards of editorial practice. Our Codes of Conduct set the standards and expectations for all SSCI Journal Indexing Editors (internal and external). These are based on guidelines and best practice recommendations issued by organizations such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). We also proactively investigate patterns of research misconduct.

The Prevention team:

  • Tamara Welschot,
    Head of Research Integrity, Prevention
  • Jo Appleford-Cook,
    Senior Training Manager
  • Zina Bibanovic,
    Research Integrity Content Coordinator
  • Dom Gray, Humayra Kinoo, Senior Integrity Analysts
  • John Bell, Alex Petkov, Adam Rajah, Integrity Analysts
  • Eunsang Lee
    Data Analyst

Resolutions

We handle reported issues across the whole of SSCI Journal Indexing that require the input of research integrity experts.

The Resolutions team:

  • Tamara Welschot,
    Head of Research Integrity, Prevention
  • Jo Appleford-Cook,
    Senior Training Manager
  • Zina Bibanovic,
    Research Integrity Content Coordinator

  • Dom Gray, Humayra Kinoo, Senior Integrity Analysts
  • John Bell, Alex Petkov, Adam Rajah, Integrity Analysts
  • Eunsang Lee Data Analyst

COPE

SSCI Journal Indexing and its journals are members of COPE (the Committee On Publication Ethics). COPE’s primary mission is educational; it is an advisory body, not a regulator. There are more than 12,500 COPE members from 103 countries. SSCI Journal Indexing’s Research Integrity Director, Chris Graf, was one of the first co-chairs of COPE. Our Research Integrity Group works closely with COPE to help them develop new educational resources

COPE membership helps differentiate legitimate journals from the increasing number of predatory and poor-quality outlets. It is one of the indicators of quality used by important third parties such as Clarivate Analytics (for Journal Impact Factor) and indexers (e.g. Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed).

Core Practices

COPE's Core Practices, set out clear guidance for publishers, including how allegations of misconduct should be handled; policies on authorship and contributorship, data availability, peer review process and ethics; and processes for complaints and appeals, managing conflict of interest/competing interest, journal management and post-publication discussion and corrections.

Guides

COPE publishes a number of guides for editors to help ensure the integrity of research publishing.

Flowcharts

COPE flowcharts offer step by step practical support on handling different aspects of publication best practice.

Reproducibility

Research data sharing

To support and incentivise data sharing, we provide a Research Data Helpdesk, standardised data policies, and actively promote the benefits of sharing research data to researchers.

Peer review and publication of code

Many SSCI Journal Indexing research journals encourage researchers who submit papers that rely on bespoke software to provide the programs for peer review. A code and software submission checklist to help authors compile and present code for peer review is available.

Minimal Standards Working Group

We are participating in the development of the MDAR Framework, a harmonised approach to transparent reporting in the life sciences including aspects that are essential for better reproducibility, replicability, and improved open research practices.

transparency

SSCI Journal Indexing helps authors share their work early and widely, and is working to open up the ‘black box’ of peer review. We support preprint deposition and citation, and multiple models of peer review.

In Review

In Review enables authors to easily track the status of their manuscript while it’s out for review, as well as share it for community comment early in the editorial process.

Transparent Peer Review

Many SSCI Journal Indexing journals offer transparent peer review, making peer reviewer reports and authors’ responses to these available alongside the published article.

TOP guidelines

We support the Transparency and Openness Promotion (TOP) guidelines, supporting the implementation of better, more transparent research.

We are committed to providing support and advice on best practice and ethical conduct in research, including initiatives to increase the diversity of our commissioned authors, peer reviewers and editorial boards. Find further information on editorial policies and standards for SSCI Journal Indexing journals on our specific imprint sites.

Please see our DEI Recruitment Frameworks for Editorial Board Members and reviewers.

Supporting the development of best practice with publications on research integrity

SSCI Journal Indexing publishes many books and journals devoted to research ethics and integrity, including:

Publishing ethics for journals

Find further information on editorial policies and standards for SSCI Journal Indexing journals on our specific imprint sites.