Correction and Retraction

Correction

A correction is considered when a published article contains an error or omission that needs to be recorded but does not invalidate the article's central findings or conclusions. Examples may include mistakes in figures, tables, numerical values, descriptions of methods, affiliations, acknowledgements, or author information, provided that the scholarly record can be reliably corrected.

Material corrections will be communicated in a dated, publicly accessible notice identifying the original article, the nature of the error, and the correction made. The correction notice and the original article will be linked wherever technically feasible. Minor typographical changes that do not affect interpretation may be handled editorially, with transparent documentation when needed.

Expression of Concern

An expression of concern may be published when credible and potentially serious concerns about a published article remain unresolved, when evidence is inconclusive, or when a relevant institutional investigation is pending or cannot reach a timely conclusion. It will identify the article, describe the concern to an appropriate extent without prejudging the outcome, and be linked to the original publication. Once sufficient evidence becomes available, the journal will reconsider whether to maintain, update, or replace the notice with an appropriate editorial outcome.

Retraction

Retraction may be necessary when reliable evidence shows that an article's findings or conclusions cannot be trusted, whether due to honest error or research misconduct. Other grounds may include substantial plagiarism, redundant publication, unethical research, manipulation of peer review, or serious legal or ethical violations affecting the published work. A disagreement or authorship dispute alone does not automatically justify retraction when the findings remain reliable.

A retraction notice will be clearly labelled Retraction, freely accessible, dated, and linked to the affected article. It will identify the article title, authors, and relevant publication details, including the DOI where available, and explain the reason for the retraction and who initiated it, when appropriate. The retracted article will ordinarily remain accessible as part of the scholarly record, prominently marked as Retracted on its landing page and PDF or other full-text versions where technically feasible. Content may be removed only in exceptional cases involving legal obligations, privacy, or serious risks; a bibliographic record and explanatory notice should remain where possible.

Review and Decision Procedure

1. Notification: Authors, readers, reviewers, institutions, and other stakeholders may report a concern to the editorial office using the journal's official contact channel, providing the article details and available supporting evidence.
2. Initial assessment: The Editor-in-Chief or a designated, non-conflicted editor evaluates whether the concern is specific, credible, and relevant to the reliability or integrity of the publication.
3. Clarification and assessment: The editorial team may contact the authors, seek additional information or expert advice, and, when appropriate, request investigation by an author's institution or other competent body. All parties should be given a fair opportunity to respond.
4. Editorial decision: Based on the available evidence, the journal determines whether no action, a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction is warranted. Serious matters are handled without unnecessary delay while respecting due process.
5. Publication and record update: The journal issues and links any formal notice, marks affected records where necessary, and seeks to update relevant metadata and indexing services where feasible.
6. Further information and appeals: Substantive new evidence or a reasoned appeal may trigger reconsideration by an editor who has no relevant conflict of interest.

Responsibilities and Confidentiality

Authors should promptly notify the editorial office of significant errors in their published work and cooperate with reasonable requests for clarification. Editors will assess reports impartially, maintain appropriate confidentiality during inquiries, manage conflicts of interest, and avoid making unsupported allegations public. The journal may consult relevant institutions where investigation of the underlying research is beyond editorial authority.

Corrections, Retractions, and Manuscript Withdrawal

This policy applies to published articles. A request to withdraw an unpublished manuscript is a separate editorial process and should not be represented as a published-article retraction. Any associated change to the online publication record will be handled with appropriate transparency.