It is the end of 2016 and as I sit here writing this editorial, I am reminded of the significant events that have occurred this year. Integrity was a theme that stood out this year, not just in politics but also in the scientific world.
Integrity is vital to scientific research and publication. Most of us view the pursuit of new knowledge and its dissemination as the key to progress. We understand that this can only occur when researchers and authors uphold the principles of ethics and truth. But reviewers and editors also play an important role in this. They have to critically appraise manuscripts and this takes time and hard work but has to be done. And they have to be just and not swayed by personal biases and other conflicts of interests.
Ensuring complete scientific integrity for the journal may not be possible but this is something we should always strive for. (1,2) The Malaysian Family Physician has attempted to do so by following COPE guidance (Committee On Publication Ethics. Accessible at http://publicationethics.org/) and taking other measures such as the use of plagiarism checker software.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful team of reviewers and editors who have worked hard this year. I hope that this spirit of integrity will always be present at the Malaysian Family Physician.
References
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