JOURNAL INFORMATION · PUBLISHING POLICIES
Article Retraction & Withdrawal
Procedures for withdrawals, retractions, corrections, and expressions of concern to protect the scholarly record.
Purpose
Retractions, withdrawals, corrections, and expressions of concern are used to preserve the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record.
Any action should be proportionate to the circumstances and supported by a documented editorial assessment.
Withdrawal Before Publication
Authors who request withdrawal of a manuscript before publication must submit a written request explaining the reason.
The journal may confirm withdrawal after checking the manuscript’s status and ensuring that the submission is not being withdrawn to evade an unresolved ethical concern.
Retraction After Publication
A published article may be considered for retraction where there is reliable evidence of a major breach that undermines the reliability or integrity of the work.
Possible grounds include:
- serious error;
- fabrication or falsification;
- plagiarism;
- unethical research;
- duplicate publication; or
- another major breach that undermines the reliability or integrity of the work.
Procedure
The editor will assess the available evidence, contact the authors for a response where appropriate, and may consult institutions or relevant experts.
A retraction notice should explain the reason clearly, be linked to the original article, and preserve the publication record in accordance with the journal’s procedures.
Corrections and Expressions of Concern
Where an issue does not justify retraction, the journal may publish a correction or an expression of concern.
Editorial actions should be communicated transparently and handled consistently, fairly, and without improper influence.
Implementation Note
Before publishing this policy document, the journal’s management should confirm all bracketed items and examples, including submission fees and APC, publication frequency, copyright/license terms, open-access model, and reference style.
Remove all drafting placeholders and ensure the final policy matches the journal’s actual practices.