Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement

Museum and Society follows the guidelines for scholarly editing, research and writing as set out by COPE. However, we draw particular attention to the following matters:

Ethical research and reporting

Museum and Society is committed to ethical research and to the ethical reporting of research. In conducting and reporting their research authors will have conformed to the highest ethical standards. Thus, for example, case-study reports of fieldwork at institutions require careful consideration with respect to transparency. It is expected that human subjects whether interviewed or observed will be informed-subjects who have freely consented to their involvement in research which is intended for publication. Subjects will have been informed about matters of confidentiality prior to their becoming participants. It is important, for example, that reports about institutions do not inadvertently identify subjects whose co-operation was provided on a confidential basis. Only in very exceptional circumstances is it acceptable to conduct covert research. Any use of that method requires to be defended in the report.

Conflicts of interest

The area of conflicts of interest is becoming increasingly complex as museums, universities, and commercial entities create technologies that become available in the public marketplace. For example, there is a thin line between an article describing research on a new database and one that essentially advertises that database. In such cases, authors should follow these guidelines:

1. Maintain critical distance when discussing commercial entities and products. Example: If a museum consultant is writing about a toolkit they developed and marketed, the article should be open about failures as well as successes, so that it does not appear to be a complete endorsement of the product.
2. Acknowledge known commercial connections and sponsorships. Examples include the following: (i) when a private tour guide writes about the effectiveness of their techniques, (ii) when a product manager writes about their successful use of a new software program for museums.
3. Acknowledge when there might be commercial connections. Transparency allows readers to understand context. This pertains to situations where there is some doubt. Example: When the project manager in (2) and a curator co-author an article on the software program and its applicability to other museums.
4. Book and exhibition reviewers should not in any way have a connection with the work under review.

Ethics and malpractice

Intellectual property, plagiarism, and conflicts of interest. Museum and Society's open access policies recognise the rights of authors to their original work. To protect all authors, there must be transparency around who contributed to the work of research and writing and in what capacity. We also hold to strict guidelines regarding plagiarism and work that has been published elsewhere in any form. Specifically, we shall not publish such work, and we will not publish future work by violators. In such cases, following COPE guidelines, we may also contact authors’ supervisors or institutions.

In every case, editors’ decisions about whether to publish articles that present issues related to a conflict of interest are final, as they bear the responsibility for maintaining the credibility of the journal.