Retraction and Correction Policies

Retraction refers to the process of withdrawing an already published paper. Once an article has been published online, changes can only be made by publishing a corrigendum or erratum. The integrity and completeness of the scholarly record are paramount.

Erratum: An erratum is a statement by the authors of the original paper that briefly describes any corrections resulting from errors or omissions. Any effects on the conclusions of the paper are noted. The corrected article remains in the online journal, with a notice of erratum provided. It is freely available to all readers and linked to the corrected article.

Retraction: A retraction is a notice that a paper should no longer be regarded as part of the scientific literature. Retractions are issued in cases where there is clear evidence that the findings are unreliable due to misconduct or honest error, previous publication without proper referencing or permission, plagiarism, or reporting of unethical research. The retracted article remains in the online journal with a notice of retraction, which is freely available to all readers and linked to the retracted article. Retractions can be initiated by authors in cases of substantial scientific errors or by the editors or publisher when deemed appropriate. The reason for retraction and responsible parties are indicated.

Publisher's Note: A publisher's note informs readers that an article has been corrected after publication due to typographical or production errors that affect the article's metadata or reader comprehension. The original article is replaced with a corrected version, and the note is freely available to all readers. Minor errors not impacting metadata or comprehension may be corrected at the publisher's discretion, with the date of correction noted.

Redaction or Removal: In rare and extreme cases involving legal infringement, the publisher may redact or remove an article. Bibliographic information is retained for record integrity.

Authors should be aware that an original article can only be removed and replaced with a corrected version within one year of the original publication date. Corrections to older articles will only be documented by a publisher's note.

These policies are in line with best practices in the academic publishing community and prioritize the integrity of the scholarly record. The COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines for retracting articles may also be referenced for further guidance.