Corrections and Retractions Policy
Policy Statement
The International Journal of Environmental and Agriculture Research (IJOEAR) is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. This policy outlines the procedures for making corrections, issuing retractions, and handling post-publication changes to published articles in accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.
Types of Post-Publication Corrections
IJOEAR recognizes the following types of post-publication corrections:
Minor Corrections
Typographical errors, spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or formatting issues that do not affect scientific meaning or interpretation.
No formal noticeErrata / Corrigenda
Substantive corrections that affect scientific meaning, such as data errors, reference omissions, or author name corrections.
Formal notice requiredExpression of Concern
Notification to readers that concerns have been raised about the validity of a published article pending investigation.
Formal notice requiredRetraction
Formal withdrawal of an article due to serious errors, misconduct, or ethical violations that invalidate the findings.
Formal notice + watermarkErrata vs. Corrigenda
IJOEAR distinguishes between two types of formal corrections:
| Aspect | Erratum (Publisher Error) | Corrigendum (Author Error) |
|---|---|---|
| Responsible Party | Publisher (AD Publications) | Author(s) |
| Reason | Production or typesetting error | Author-identified error in content |
| Initiation | Publisher initiates correction | Author requests correction |
| Notice Title | "Erratum" | "Corrigendum" |
| DOI Assignment | New DOI for erratum notice | New DOI for corrigendum notice |
| Linkage | Bidirectional link between article and notice | |
Both errata and corrigenda are peer-reviewed and approved by the Editor-in-Chief before publication. The original article remains accessible with a visible link to the correction notice.
Retraction Policy
IJOEAR will consider retraction of an article under the following circumstances:
Valid Grounds for Retraction
- Major error that invalidates findings (author-initiated)
- Plagiarism or redundant publication
- Fabricated or falsified data
- Unethical research conduct (lack of ethics approval)
- Authorship disputes unresolved
- Copyright infringement
- Failure to disclose major conflict of interest
- Legal requirements (court order)
Not Valid for Retraction
- Minor errors that do not affect conclusions
- Author disagreement with reviewers/editors
- Preference for a different journal
- Outdated research (age alone)
- Subjective differences in interpretation
- Request to remove name from authorship (use correction)
Retraction Notice Requirements
All retraction notices will clearly state the reason for retraction, who initiated it, and any other relevant information. Retraction notices are linked bidirectionally to the retracted article and are indexed in Crossref.
Expression of Concern
An Expression of Concern is issued when there is inconclusive evidence of misconduct or error, but significant concerns exist that warrant notification to readers.
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Investigation pending but may take significant time | Issue Expression of Concern to alert readers |
| Inconclusive evidence of misconduct | Issue Expression of Concern while further evidence is sought |
| Institutional investigation ongoing | Issue Expression of Concern pending institutional findings |
| Legal constraints prevent full retraction | Issue Expression of Concern explaining limitations |
Expression of Concern Process
Expressions of Concern are published as separate citable notices linked to the original article. They remain in place until the investigation concludes, at which point they may be replaced by a correction, retraction, or removal notice.
Correction Request Process
Authors or readers may request corrections to published articles using the following process:
Submit Request
Email correction request with details
Editorial Review
Editor-in-Chief evaluates significance
Author Approval
All authors must approve correction
Notice Published
Correction notice published and linked
| Correction Type | Required Documentation | Processing Time |
|---|---|---|
| Author name correction | Signed consent from all authors; documentation of correct name | 5-7 business days |
| Affiliation correction | Letter from institution; author confirmation | 3-5 business days |
| Data/Figure correction | Detailed explanation; corrected figure/data; editor approval | 7-10 business days |
| Reference correction | Corrected reference list; explanation | 3-5 business days |
| Acknowledgment addition | Written consent from person being acknowledged | 2-3 business days |
Correction Request Email Format: Send to info@ijoear.com with subject line "CORRECTION REQUEST - [Manuscript ID]". Include detailed description of the error, correct information, and confirmation that all co-authors have been informed.
Retraction Process
IJOEAR follows a formal, multi-step process for retracting articles:
Allegation Received
Complaint or concern raised via editorial office
Investigation
Editor-in-Chief and COPE advisors investigate
Author Response
Authors given opportunity to respond
Decision
Retraction decision made by Editor-in-Chief
Notice Published
Retraction notice with reason published
Article Watermarked
"RETRACTED" watermark applied to article
COPE Compliance
All retractions follow COPE Retraction Guidelines. IJOEAR will report serious misconduct cases to the authors' institutional ethics committees and relevant funding bodies.
Article Removal Policy
IJOEAR follows standard scholarly publishing practices regarding article removal:
| Situation | Action | Preservation |
|---|---|---|
| Retraction | Article remains online with "RETRACTED" watermark | Full article preserved for scholarly record |
| Removal (rare) | Article removed from public website | Only under court order or legal requirement |
| Replacement | Corrected version replaces original | Original preserved internally; replacement noted |
| Expression of Concern | Notice attached to article; no removal | Full article remains accessible |
Legal Removal
Article removal is extremely rare and occurs only under legal compulsion (court order) or in cases of defamation, privacy violations, or legal threats to the publisher. Removal notices are permanently appended to the article record.
Versioning and Archiving
IJOEAR maintains version control for all corrected and retracted content:
Version of Record
The definitive published version, archived in CLOCKSS/LOCKSS
Correction History
All corrections documented with date and nature of change
DOI Persistence
DOI always resolves to current version with correction history
Archiving: All versions of corrected and retracted articles are preserved in IJOEAR's CLOCKSS and LOCKSS archives to maintain the complete scholarly record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Submit a Correction or Report Concerns
To request a correction, report concerns about published content, or inquire about retractions, please contact the editorial office.
+91-7665235235
Please include "CORRECTION REQUEST - [Manuscript ID]" or "RETRACTION CONCERN - [Manuscript ID]" in the email subject line. Provide full details and supporting evidence.
