Correction and Retraction

The journal is committed to preserving the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. When an error or possible breach of publication ethics is identified after publication, the editorial team assesses the evidence, seriousness, and effect on the reliability of the article.

Correction

A correction may be issued for an error that can be fixed without retracting the article as a whole, such as an author affiliation or metadata error, a mislabeled figure, or a factual or technical error that does not materially undermine the main findings or conclusions.

Expression of Concern

An expression of concern may be issued when serious questions remain unresolved, evidence is inconclusive, or an investigation is ongoing and a timely conclusion is not available.

Retraction

·       Retraction may be warranted when findings or conclusions are unreliable or serious misconduct has materially compromised the article.

·       Possible grounds include fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, unjustified duplicate publication, serious research-ethics violations, or errors that invalidate the findings.

·       Disagreement over interpretation alone is not sufficient grounds for retraction.

Procedure and Record

The editor assesses the report, requests clarification where appropriate, evaluates available evidence, and determines a proportionate action. Notices should identify the article, explain the reason for the action, include the publication date and DOI where available, and be linked to the original article. A retracted article should remain identifiable as retracted to preserve the publication record.