Corrections And Retractions Policy

TJCSS is committed to maintaining a complete and accurate scholarly record. The journal may issue corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, or other notices when problems are identified after publication.

Post publication action will depend on the nature, seriousness, and effect of the problem.

1. Minor Changes

Minor spelling, formatting, or typographical errors that do not affect the meaning, interpretation, or citation of an article may be corrected without a formal correction notice.

The journal will not normally alter a published article merely to improve writing style or update an author’s affiliation after publication.

2. Corrections

A formal correction may be issued when an error:

  • Affects part of the article
  • Affects interpretation but not the main findings
  • Involves incorrect author information
  • Involves an incorrect table, figure, reference, or data value
  • Requires clarification for readers
  • Does not make the article fundamentally unreliable

The correction notice will:

  • Have its own title and publication date
  • Identify the original article
  • Describe the error
  • Provide the corrected information
  • Link to the original article
  • Remain permanently available

The original article may also be updated with a clear notice explaining the correction.

3. Author Name and Authorship Corrections

Changes involving author names, author order, addition, or removal require an explanation and agreement from all affected authors.

Where an authorship dispute exists, the journal may refer the matter to the relevant institution rather than deciding contribution claims itself.

4. Retractions

An article may be retracted if there is reliable evidence that:

  • Its findings are unreliable because of major error
  • Data were fabricated or falsified
  • It contains serious plagiarism
  • It was published elsewhere without proper disclosure
  • Peer review was manipulated
  • It reports unethical research
  • Required consent was not obtained
  • Publication was unauthorized
  • Copyright was seriously infringed
  • The article presents a serious and unresolved risk

Retraction is intended to correct the scholarly record. It is not primarily a punishment.

5. Retraction Notice

A retraction notice will:

  • Clearly identify the retracted article
  • Explain the reason for retraction
  • Identify who requested or approved the retraction
  • Distinguish misconduct from honest error where possible
  • Link to the original article
  • Be freely and permanently accessible

The original article will normally remain online to preserve the publication record, but each version will be clearly marked as retracted.

6. Partial Retraction

TJCSS will normally use a correction rather than a partial retraction when only a limited part of an article is affected and the main findings remain reliable.

7. Expressions of Concern

An expression of concern may be published when:

  • Serious concerns have been raised
  • Available evidence is inconclusive
  • An institutional investigation is continuing
  • The investigation is delayed
  • The journal cannot obtain essential information
  • There is a possible risk to readers or research participants

An expression of concern does not itself establish that misconduct occurred.

8. Article Removal

Complete removal of an article will be considered only in exceptional circumstances, such as where:

  • Publication violates a legal order
  • The article contains seriously defamatory material
  • Continued availability creates a serious privacy or safety risk
  • The article contains confidential information that cannot be protected by redaction
  • Removal is required by law

A notice explaining the removal will remain available where legally possible.

9. Author Cooperation

Authors must inform TJCSS if they discover a significant error in a submitted or published article.

All authors are expected to cooperate with requests for clarification, correction, or investigation.

The journal may take necessary action even if one or more authors disagree, provided that the evidence justifies the action.

10. Metadata and Indexing

Where technically possible, corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern will be reflected in:

  • Article webpages
  • Published PDF files
  • Journal metadata
  • Indexing services

Repositories receiving journal content