Article Related Policy

Article Correction, Retraction, Removal, and Appealing Policy

1. Policy Foundation and Philosophy

1.1 Integrity of the Scholarly Record

The integrity and completeness of the scholarly record are of paramount importance to ETHIOINQUIRY and the global scientific community. ETHIOINQUIRY adheres to the principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and maintains a rigorous Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement (PEMS). Published articles shall remain extant, exact, and unaltered as far as possible, serving as a permanent historical record of scholarly achievement.

1.2 Editorial Jurisdiction and Independence

The Editor-in-Chief (EiC) maintains the final jurisdiction over the scholarly record. This authority is exercised independently of commercial or political influence and is guided by the journal’s editorial board and legal constraints (including libel, copyright infringement, and privacy rights). The EiC is the final adjudicator of the mechanism of any post-publication amendment, regardless of author consensus.

1.3 Transparency and Public Notification

ETHIOINQUIRY is committed to ensuring total transparency. Any amendment to the published record will be executed via permanent notices (Corrections, Retractions, or Expressions of Concern) that are bidirectionally linked to the original article and assigned a unique Digital Object Identifier (DOI).

2. Roles and Responsibilities in Post-Publication Issues

2.1 Author Obligations

Authors are legally and ethically bound to notify ETHIOINQUIRY immediately upon the discovery of any error, omission, or inaccuracy in their published works. This notification must be sent to the editorial office without delay.

2.2 The Corresponding Author’s Role

The corresponding author serves as an authoritative liaison for the research collective. Their duties include:

• Acting as the primary point of contact for all post-publication inquiries and investigations.
• Ensuring that the original raw data upon which the submission is based are preserved and immediately retrievable for reanalysis.
• Managing all communications between the journal and co-authors to ensure timely and accurate response.
• Securing agreement from all co-authors regarding any proposed amendments. However, the journal reserves the right to proceed with corrections or retractions in the absence of a total consensus to protect the integrity of the record.

2.3 Editorial and Integrity Team Duties

The EiC, supported by subject-matter experts and the Research Integrity Center of Expertise, reviews all proposed changes. The team may:

• Request original unprocessed images or raw datasets.
• Consult independent referees or institutional authorities for validation purposes.
• Implement the correction mechanism that best serves the scientific record.

2.4 Confidentiality Mandate

All communications regarding post-publication investigations are strictly confidential. Correspondence with the journal, referee reports, and internal deliberations must not be publicized on any website or social media platform without prior, written permission. A breach of this confidentiality mandate is considered a violation of journal policy and may lead to institutional notification.

3. Framework for Article Corrections

3.1 Corrigenda (Author-Identified Errors)

A Corrigendum is issued to correct errors or omissions that do not invalidate the results or conclusions. These are drafted by the authors and approved by the EiC.

3.2 Errata (Publisher Errors)

An Erratum is issued when ETHIOINQUIRY identifies a significant error made during the production or publication process (e.g., layout errors that change the meaning of a sentence or formula).

3.3 Inclusive Author Name Changes

ETHIOINQUIRY supports name changes for reasons such as gender transition and religious conversion.

• Silent Corrections: Authors may request that their names, pronouns, and biographical information be updated without a formal public correction notice.
• Privacy: In these cases, no note flagging the change will appear on the PDF or HTML to protect the author's privacy.

3.4 Image Integrity Standards

ETHIOINQUIRY enforces strict technical standards for corrected images.

• Originality: The final image must accurately represent the original data. The use of "cloning" or "healing" tools is strictly prohibited.
• Blots and Gels: Cropped blots in the body of a correction must retain at least six band widths above and below the band line. Original uncropped images must be provided in the Supplementary Information, showing the edges of the membrane.
• Resolution: All revised figures must be submitted at a minimum resolution of 300 DPI.

3.5 Correction Notice Checklist

To ensure transparency, all correction notices must adhere to the following rules:

• Bidirectional Linking: Permanent links to and from the original article.
• Prominent Labeling: Clearly titled "Correction," "Addendum," or "Erratum."
• Comparative Data: Reproduction of the original erroneous data alongside the corrected data if figures/tables are changed.
• Pagination: Notices are paginated and listed in the Table of Contents.

4. Article Withdrawal (Articles-in-Press)

Articles-in-Press—early versions of articles accepted but not yet published in a final volume—may be withdrawn if they are:

• Discovered to be a duplicate of another published work.
• They have been found to violate journal policies prematurely (e.g., ethical breaches).
• Published prematurely because of an editorial or production error.

In these cases, the HTML and PDF content is removed and replaced with a notice stating that the article has been withdrawn according to ETHIOINQUIRY policy.

5. Expressions of Concern and Editor's Notes

5.1 Editorial Expressions of Concern (EEoC)

An EEoC is a permanent notice used when:

• There is inconclusive evidence of research misconduct, but there are strong reasons to doubt the reliability of the work.
• The investigation is expected to take a considerable amount of time.
• An investigation into whether the work is deemed unfair or impartial by the journal.

EEoCs receive a DOI and are indexed. If the concern is resolved, the EEoC remains, but is followed by a final notice explaining the resolution.

5.2 Editor’s Notes

Editor’s Notes are online-only, non-indexed updates to HTML versions. They are used for:

• Scientific Caution: Alerting readers to exercise caution (e.g., resolved complaints not requiring correction).
• Authorship Disputes: Unresolved disputes in which the validity of the findings is not in doubt.
• Minor Review Ethics: Addressing issues such as coerced redundant citations that do not impact the results.

6. Article Retraction Criteria and Procedures

Retractions are mandated when the EIC has clear evidence that the work is unreliable or violates fundamental ethical/publication standards.

Category	Triggering Conditions
Honest Error	Major miscalculations, experimental errors, or reliance on other retracted works (e.g., in meta-analyses).
Misconduct	Data fabrication, falsification (image manipulation), plagiarism, redundant publication, and unauthorized data use.
Technical & Ethical Breach	Misuse of Generative AI/AI-assisted technologies, identity theft, fictitious authorship, or compromised peer review.
Non-Disclosure	Failure to disclose a major competing interest (COI) that materially affects the interpretation of the study.
Discourse Violations	Evidence of citation manipulation (adding irrelevant citations) or systematic manipulation of the editorial process.

6.1 The Retraction Notice

The notice must be titled "Retraction: [Article Title]" and signed by the editor. The specific reasons for retraction will be detailed to ensure that readers understand the nature of the error or misconduct.

6.2 Visual Integrity

• Watermarking: The original PDF is retained but watermarked on every page as "RETRACTED."
• Retraction Screen: The online link resolves to a screen containing the retraction notice before the reader can access the PDF file.
• HTML Removal: The HTML version is entirely removed.

7. Retraction with Republication (Article Replacement)

In exceptional cases where a work contains honest errors but, if acted upon, poses an immediate and serious risk to public health, the article may be retracted and replaced with a notice. The replacement version includes a complete document history and a link to the original retraction notice.

8. Article Removal: Legal and Safety Limitations

Removal of an article from the online archive is an extreme measure and only occurs when:

• The content is defamatory or infringes on legal rights where retraction is insufficient.
• The content is subject to court or government orders.
• Content that poses an immediate and serious risk to health or security.

Metadata Retention: Bibliographic metadata (title/authors) is always retained, replaced by a notice explaining the removal for legal or safety reasons.

9. Scientific Discourse and Matters Arising

ETHIOINQUIRY encourages post-publication commentary through the Matters Arising section. These are formal challenges or clarifications of the published research. After peer review, these may be published alongside replies from the original authors to ensure vigorous and transparent scientific discourse.

10. The Author Appeals Process

Authors have the right to appeal editorial decisions (rejection, retraction, or correction).

• Submission: The author must submit a formal appeal to the publishing team with detailed justification and original raw data.
• Review: The EiC may consult the Editorial Board or independent referees.
• Finality: The EiC’s decision on appeals is final and cannot be contested. In cases of disagreement regarding a retraction, the EiC may impose the amendment and note the names of the dissenting authors in the notice.

11. Technical Implementation and Archiving

11.1 Summary of Notice Status

Notice Type	Bidirectional Link	Indexed	DOI Assigned
Correction / Erratum	Yes	Yes	Yes
Addendum	Yes	Yes	Yes
Retraction	Yes	Yes	Yes
Expression of Concern	Yes	Yes	Yes
Editor's Note	No (HTML only)	No	No

11.2 Verification Tools

Crossmark: All HTML and PDF versions feature the Crossmark button, allowing readers to verify the current status of an article instantly.

Official Archiving: Permanent availability is guaranteed through official archives, including the National Library of the Netherlands, which preserves all versions of the record, including retracted and removed content.