Ethics in scientific journals

The literature on malpractice and misconduct in scientific journals is reviewed and personal experiences derived from the participation of the author in evaluation and editorial committees are discussed. The great competitiveness of the society today causes authors, reviewers and editors to be more tempted to commit offenses that may distort the truth and erode the trust established in the current system of reporting science. These can be of different severity, from fabrication of evidence, falsification and plagiarism to picaresque attempts to get more credit with less effort. Improved transparency through increased access to scientific papers and information about their authors helps to improve the quality and integrity of scientific publishing.