January 25, 2021 | Rachel L. Safer, COPE Council
In response to an increase in cases and queries in 2019 about author name changes after article publication, COPE formed a working group of Trustees, Council Members, publishers, editors, and authors to develop guidance on this important topic. Post-publication changes are typically accomplished with correction notices, which provide transparency for readers and ensure the changes downstream to indexing and discovery services. These notices are not appropriate in all circumstances however, particularly in the case of transgender, non-binary, and/or gender diverse (hereafter shortened to “trans”) authors because of the potential trauma caused by the continued circulation of their previous names and the risks to which disclosure of their gender identity subjects them.
Originally published COPE