Corrections & Retractions

Principle

The journal seeks to preserve an accurate and trustworthy scholarly record. Once an article has been published, substantive changes must be transparent, traceable, and proportionate to the nature of the problem. Editors use relevant COPE guidance when assessing corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions.

Corrections

A correction is appropriate where a published article contains an error that needs to be publicly addressed but the principal findings remain reliable. Depending on responsibility, the notice may be called an erratum or corrigendum. The notice must identify the article, explain the change, and be bidirectionally linked to the original record where technically possible. Material changes must not be made silently.

Expressions of Concern

An expression of concern may be published where credible questions arise about the reliability or ethics of a paper, but the available evidence is inconclusive or an investigation will require substantial time. It is not a finding of misconduct and should be updated as the concern is resolved.

Retractions

Retraction may be warranted if findings are seriously unreliable; research was unethical; plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or significant redundant publication is established; the peer-review process was compromised; or other severe problems invalidate confidence in the work. Retraction notices should be clearly identified, freely accessible, promptly issued when justified, linked to the original article, and describe the reasons factually without unnecessary personal accusations.

Except when removal is legally or ethically necessary, the original article should remain discoverable and be clearly marked “RETRACTED” so the scholarly record is preserved. Metadata and indexing partners should be updated where feasible. Limited removal may be necessary for serious privacy, safety, or legal reasons, accompanied by an explanatory notice to the extent permissible.

Withdrawal Before Publication

Authors seeking withdrawal before publication must promptly contact the editorial office with a reasoned request. The editor will record the request, verify the submitting author's authority where appropriate, and consider the stage of review and any outstanding ethical issues. The journal should not impose an automatic financial penalty merely because a manuscript is withdrawn; any separately agreed and lawfully applicable charge would require prior, clear disclosure.

Withdrawal of an unpublished submission and retraction of a published article are different procedures. Withdrawal should not be used to evade an ongoing ethics investigation or to conceal simultaneous submission.

Reference: COPE Retraction Guidelines.