Corrections, Retractions, and Withdrawal

The journal is committed to maintaining the accuracy, integrity, and transparency of the scholarly record. Concerns raised by authors, readers, editors, or other parties will be assessed fairly and addressed through appropriate editorial action, guided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), including its Retraction Guidelines.

Authors who identify errors or concerns in their work should promptly notify the Editor-in-Chief. Reports should identify the article, describe the issue, and provide supporting information where available. The action taken will depend on the nature, extent, and implications of the concern.

1. Corrections

A correction will be issued when an error or omission requires amendment but does not invalidate the article’s overall findings. Corrections may address text, figures, tables, data, authorship, or disclosures, subject to editorial assessment and supporting documentation.

Minor typographical or formatting errors that do not affect meaning may be corrected without a separate formal notice. Changes affecting metadata, attribution, interpretation, or scientific content will be transparently documented. Substantive amendments will not be made silently.

Formal correction notices will identify the affected article, explain the changes and their implications, and be linked to the original publication. Proposed corrections may undergo independent expert review.

2. Expressions of Concern

An expression of concern may be published when credible concerns about an article warrant alerting readers but the available evidence does not yet support a definitive editorial decision. This may include circumstances in which an investigation is delayed, remains inconclusive, or cannot be conducted adequately.

The notice will explain the concerns without presenting unsubstantiated allegations as established facts. When sufficient information becomes available, the journal will publish an appropriate follow-up notice explaining the outcome.

3. Retractions

Retraction is intended to protect the integrity of the literature by identifying publications that cannot be relied upon or that involve serious ethical breaches. It is not a disciplinary sanction against authors.

Grounds for retraction may include:

  • Major errors, fabrication, or falsification that undermine the reliability of the findings.

  • Substantial plagiarism or unjustified duplicate publication.

  • Unethical research or publication of material without the necessary authorization.

  • Manipulation of peer review or the publication process.

  • Serious misrepresentation of authorship or undisclosed competing interests that materially compromise confidence in the article.

  • Other substantiated breaches that make continued publication without retraction inappropriate.

Retraction will not normally be used to resolve an authorship dispute alone when the findings remain reliable, or where a correction adequately addresses the issue. An unresolved concern does not automatically justify retraction; an expression of concern may instead be appropriate.

4. Editorial Assessment and Retraction Notices

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for the final editorial decision. Authors will normally be informed of the concerns and given a reasonable opportunity to respond. Independent experts or relevant institutions may be consulted. An editor with a relevant competing interest will not handle the case.

Author agreement is not a prerequisite for retraction. Where sufficient evidence warrants action, the journal may proceed despite disagreement or the absence of a response.

Retraction notices will be published promptly, be freely accessible, identify the article and the party issuing the retraction, and explain the reasons using factual, neutral language. The notice and article will be linked in both directions. Retracted articles will normally remain accessible and be prominently marked as retracted.

5. Withdrawal Before Publication

For this journal, withdrawal refers to ending consideration of a manuscript before publication. Requests should be submitted by the corresponding author, stating the reasons and confirming that all authors have been informed and agree. Any disagreement should be disclosed to the editor.

Withdrawal does not prevent the journal from examining suspected misconduct. Once an article has been published online as the version of record, including advance publication, concerns will be addressed through the journal’s post-publication procedures rather than routine withdrawal.

6. Exceptional Removal

Removal of published content is reserved for exceptional circumstances, such as a legal requirement, a serious infringement of privacy or other rights, or a substantial risk of harm that cannot adequately be addressed by a correction or retraction.

Where removal is necessary, the journal will retain a notice explaining the action and as much bibliographic information as legally permissible.