Minor updates

Minor typographical or formatting errors that do not affect meaning, attribution, indexing or interpretation may be corrected without a formal notice when appropriate. Substantive changes require a permanent linked notice.

Corrections

A correction is issued when an error affects interpretation, attribution, metadata, methods, data presentation or part of the record but does not invalidate the article’s central findings. The notice identifies the affected article and explains the correction.

Retractions

• Retraction may be appropriate for unreliable findings, fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, unethical research, unauthorized publication, serious authorship disputes, undisclosed duplicate publication or compromised peer review.
• The original article remains accessible and clearly marked as retracted unless exceptional legal, privacy or safety reasons require removal of content.
• The retraction notice is freely accessible, linked to the article, states the reason and identifies who is retracting the article.
• Retraction is used to correct the literature and protect readers, not primarily to punish authors.

Expressions of concern

An expression of concern may be published when credible substantial questions exist but evidence is inconclusive, an investigation is incomplete, due process cannot be completed promptly, or findings from a competent authority are pending.

Withdrawal before publication

Authors may request withdrawal during assessment with a reason. After acceptance or production has begun, withdrawal is considered only for compelling reasons. Withdrawal cannot be used to avoid responding to ethical concerns, and the journal may retain necessary internal records.

Exceptional content removal

Removal of published content is exceptional and may occur only where continued display creates a serious legal, privacy, safety or public-health risk. A bibliographic notice explaining the removal will remain whenever legally and technically possible.

Author and institutional involvement

The journal may seek explanations, underlying data or findings from relevant institutions. Authors will ordinarily be given an opportunity to respond, but lack of agreement does not prevent the journal from correcting the record when sufficient evidence exists.