Article Related Policy
Article Correction, Retraction, Removal, and Appeals Policy
1. Philosophy and Guiding Principles
The integrity and permanence of the scholarly record are paramount. Published articles shall remain extant and unaltered to the greatest extent possible. Where errors or misconduct are identified, they are addressed through transparent, permanent, and indexed notices. This policy is governed by the COPE Guidelines on Retractions and related COPE flowcharts.
2. Correction Mechanisms
| Mechanism | Initiated By | Purpose | Indexed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrigendum | Author | Corrects an author-identified error that does not invalidate findings. | Yes |
| Erratum | Publisher | Corrects a significant production error made by the publisher. | Yes |
| Addendum | Author | Adds information inadvertently omitted from the original. | Yes |
| Author Correction | Author or Journal | Updates author name or affiliation, including for name-change requests. | Yes |
| Expression of Concern | Editor-in-Chief | Alerts readers to unresolved concerns about reliability or integrity. | Yes |
| Editor's Note | Editor-in-Chief | Provides contextual alerts for resolved issues not requiring correction. | No |
| Retraction | EiC or Author | Withdraws a published article due to major error or misconduct. | Yes |
| Removal | Legal / EiC | Removes article content from the record for legal or safety reasons. | Yes |
All corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions are assigned a DOI, are bidirectionally linked to the original article, and are listed in the Table of Contents.
3. Expressions of Concern
An Expression of Concern is a permanent notice issued when: (a) there is inconclusive evidence of research misconduct but strong reasons to doubt reliability; (b) an investigation is underway and will not be resolved promptly; or (c) an ongoing investigation appears incomplete or impartial. Expressions of Concern remain on record permanently.
4. Retraction Criteria and Procedures
4.1 Grounds for Retraction
Retraction is mandated when the Editor-in-Chief has clear evidence that:
- Findings are unreliable due to major error, miscalculation, or methodological failure.
- Data, sources, or results have been fabricated or falsified.
- The work constitutes plagiarism or substantial undisclosed duplication.
- The research was conducted without required ethical approvals.
- A competing interest of fundamental significance was not disclosed.
- The peer-review process was compromised or systematically manipulated.
- Authorship was sold, fictitious, or obtained through identity theft.
- Generative AI was used to generate data or findings without disclosure.
4.2 Retraction Notice Format
The retraction notice must be titled 'Retraction: [Article Title]', signed by the Editor-in-Chief, and must clearly describe the reasons for retraction. The original PDF is retained but watermarked 'RETRACTED' on every page. A Crossmark notification is applied to all versions.
5. Article Removal
Removal is an extreme measure limited to: (a) defamatory content where retraction is legally insufficient; (b) a court or government order; or (c) content presenting an immediate risk to public health or safety. Bibliographic metadata is retained and replaced by a notice explaining the removal.
6. Appeals Process
Authors may appeal editorial decisions — including rejection, correction, and retraction decisions — by submitting a formal written appeal with a detailed scholarly justification and supporting documentary evidence. The EiC's final decision on appeals is binding and is not subject to further appeal within the journal. Parties in misconduct investigations may also appeal within 30 calendar days by submitting new evidence, identifying a procedural error, or challenging a disproportionate outcome.