Retraction and corrections
The journal follows the guidelines of COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) for handling errors, misconduct or the need for clarification after publication. Its aim is to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record, correcting it transparently whenever necessary.
Corrections and errata
Corrections are published to address errors that do not affect the validity of the results or the credibility of the conclusions, such as factual, typographical or referencing errors. They may originate:
- in the journal’s editorial process (editorial correction);
- with the authors themselves, who should contact the editorial team as soon as they detect the error (author’s erratum).
In all cases, the original article is not removed. It is retained and linked to a correction notice, clearly identified, published as promptly as possible and permanently linked to the article.
Retractions
A retraction is issued where there is evidence that the results or conclusions of an article are unreliable, or that its publication breaches principles of research integrity. Following COPE guidelines, the journal considers the following to be grounds for retraction, among others:
- unreliable results, whether due to serious error or to fabrication or falsification of data;
- plagiarism or other misappropriation of others’ work;
- redundant or duplicate publication;
- research conducted without regard for the applicable ethical requirements;
- manipulation or compromise of the peer review process;
- failure to disclose a material conflict of interest that undermines the reliability of the work.
The retraction notice is linked to the original article, clearly identified as a retraction, made freely available and published as promptly as possible. It states who is retracting the article and the reasons, and remains permanently associated with the original record so that it is identifiable in bibliographic databases. The retracted article is not removed from the platform.
Expressions of concern
The journal may publish an expression of concern where there are serious suspicions about an article that are still under investigation, or where it is awaiting the conclusions of institutional proceedings. It serves to alert readers while the matter remains unresolved.
Removal of content
The journal does not remove published articles, except in situations of a legal nature, such as defamation, court orders or risk to research participants. In such cases it retains, wherever possible, the metadata and a notice explaining the removal.
The guidelines followed are available on the COPE website (Committee on Publication Ethics): https://publicationethics.org
