Abstract/Summary

At Proceedings of the Royal Society A, we are always concerned and vigilant about publication malpractice. In response to some recent research published in this issue we are introducing small changes to our reviewer report forms that will help us in identifying patterns of worrying behaviour. This editorial reviews the background to these changes and stresses the great importance of such measures to ensure the highest standards of scientific ethics, particularly in relation to public perceptions and the relationship of science to policymaking.