Committee on Publication Ethics

Okay kiddo, imagine you and your friends are playing a game where you write stories and share them with each other. But sometimes, one kid might copy someone else's story and pretend it's their own, or someone might tell a mean lie that hurts someone else's feelings.

That's kind of like how adults sometimes write scientific research papers and share them with other scientists. But sometimes, just like in our game, people might do things that aren't fair or honest.

That's where the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) comes in. They are like the grown-up referees of the scientific publishing game. Their job is to make sure that everyone who writes a research paper follows the rules and plays fair.

If someone breaks the rules, the COPE might investigate and make sure that the bad behavior is corrected. That way, everyone can keep playing the game and sharing their ideas in a fair and honest way.