Policy and Procedures for Handling Corrections, Retractions, and Editorial Expressions of Concern

International Journal of Medical Justice (IJMJ)
URL: https://ijmj.net/policies/corrections_retractions.htm

In line with the ethical standards set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), ICMJE, and indexing agencies such as PubMed, Scopus, DOAJ, and Index Copernicus, the International Journal of Medical Justice (IJMJ) has established the following policy for managing published content that may require correction, retraction, or editorial expression of concern.

1. Corrections (Errata or Corrigenda)

A correction is issued when a minor error is identified in a published article that does not affect the overall conclusions or scientific integrity of the work, such as:

• Typographical or formatting errors
• Mislabelled figures or tables
• Errors in author names, affiliations, or funding acknowledgments

Process:

• The author or reader notifies the editorial office of the error.
• The Editor-in-Chief evaluates the correction request in consultation with relevant editors or peer reviewers.
• A formal Correction Notice is published and linked to the original article.
• The online version of the article is updated with a note stating that a correction has been made.

2. Retractions

A retraction is issued when:

• There is evidence of serious misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, fabrication, falsification of data)
• The research is found to be unethical or lacking required approvals
• The article contains major errors that invalidate the findings
• There is redundant or duplicate publication
• Authorship disputes or undisclosed conflicts of interest are discovered

Process:

• Allegations can be raised by authors, readers, editors, or institutions.
• An investigation is conducted by the Editor-in-Chief, possibly with the involvement of an ethics committee.
• Authors are given the opportunity to respond.
• If a retraction is warranted, a Retraction Notice is published, explaining the reasons.
• The retracted article remains online but is clearly watermarked or labelled as “Retracted.”

Note: IJMJ follows the COPE Retraction Guidelines to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability.

3. Editorial Expressions of Concern

An Editorial Expression of Concern is issued when:

• There is inconclusive evidence of misconduct
• An investigation is ongoing
• A concern is raised that may affect the integrity of the article, but further information is needed

Process:

• A notice is published by the editor to alert readers to the concern
• The notice remains linked to the article until the issue is resolved
• Depending on the outcome, the article may later be corrected, retracted, or cleared of concern

4. Notification and Communication

All correction, retraction, or expression of concern notices:

• Are clearly labelled and linked to the original article
• Are indexed with the same metadata as the article (e.g., DOI, citation)
• Clearly explain the reason and responsible party for the action
• Are freely accessible regardless of access status of the original article

5. Post-Publication Responsibilities

Authors, reviewers, editors, and readers have a responsibility to:

• Report any concerns about the accuracy or ethics of published content
• Cooperate with editorial inquiries
• Uphold the integrity of the academic record

6. Contact

For correction or retraction requests, please contact:
📧 editor@ijmj.net or editor.ijmj@gmail.com
📍 International Journal of Medical Justice, G-1 City Center, Medical Road, Aligarh, India

Last Updated: Friday, September 27, 2024
Permanent URL: https://ijmj.net/policies/corrections_retractions.htm