COPE developed sixteen principles of transparency when it comes to identifying scholarly publications:
1) Journal's name: Should be unique and not easily confused with another journal; should not mislead potential authors and readers about the journal's origins, scope, or association with other organizations and journals.
2) Website: Should be properly supported and maintained, with a focus on security so as to prevent malware and virus attacks. The website, at the very least, should be using https, not http, with all traffic being routed through https.
3) Publishing schedule: The frequency of publication should be clearly stated on the website, and the journal needs to maintain this schedule barring exceptional circumstances.
4) Archiving: It should be made clear how the journal plans for electronic backup and long-term digital preservation of journal contents in the event of the journal or publication ceasing operations.
5) Copyright: All copyright terms concerning published content should be made clear on the website and in the journal's content.
6) Licensing: Licensing information should be stated clearly on the website, with the licensing terms indicated on the full text of all published articles.
7) Publication ethics: A journal should have policies on publication ethics (see COPE's Core Practice guidance as an example).
8) Peer review: Should be stated whether or not the content is peer reviewed, who is conducting the peer review process, and the type of peer review processes being used.
9) Access: Should be made clear as to how one gains access (through registration, subscription, or pay-per-view fees) should be stated clearly on the website.
10) Ownership and management: Information on the ownership and management of a journal should be stated clearly on the journal's website.
11) Advisory body: Editorial boards or advisory bodies for the journal should be comprised of subject experts in the field associated with the scope and overall aims of the journal.
12) Editorial team and contact information: On the journal's website, the full names, affiliation, and contact information for editors and the editorial office--including mailing address--should be on the website.
13) Author fees: If the author is charged, those fees must be stated clearly on the journal's website.
14) Other revenue: Any business models or revenue sources should be stated clearly on the website.
15) Advertising: Journals should state whether or not they accept advertising; if they do accept advertising, then they should state their policy.
16) Direct marketing: Should be unobtrusive and truthful, not to mislead authors or readers.