Correction and Retraction Policy
The Journal of Engineering Research and Reviews (JERR) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record. The journal recognizes that errors, omissions, ethical concerns, and other issues may occasionally be identified after an article has been accepted or published.
JERR investigates credible post-publication concerns carefully and takes proportionate action based on the nature and seriousness of the issue. The journal follows recognized best practices for scholarly publishing and aims to ensure that corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions are transparent, clearly linked to the affected article, and permanently identifiable.
1. Post-Publication Concerns
Concerns regarding a published article may be raised by authors, readers, reviewers, editors, institutions, funders, or other appropriate parties.
Concerns may include, but are not limited to:
Errors or omissions affecting the accuracy or interpretation of the article;
Plagiarism or inappropriate reuse of published material;
Fabrication or falsification of data;
Image manipulation or other forms of data manipulation;
Duplicate or redundant publication;
Unethical research or failure to obtain required ethical approval;
Undisclosed or serious conflicts of interest;
Authorship or contributorship problems;
Unauthorized use of data, figures, images, or other intellectual property;
Manipulation or compromise of the peer-review process;
Serious legal or ethical concerns affecting the published work.
JERR evaluates concerns objectively and confidentially and determines the appropriate course of action according to the evidence available.
2. Investigation Process
When a credible concern is raised, the journal may:
Assess the concern and supporting evidence;
Contact the corresponding author and, where appropriate, other authors;
Request an explanation, supporting documentation, or original data;
Consult reviewers, editors, subject experts, or research-integrity specialists where necessary;
Contact the authors' institution, research organization, funder, ethics committee, or other relevant authority where appropriate;
Conduct additional editorial or ethical checks.
Authors will normally be given an appropriate opportunity to respond to concerns and provide relevant evidence. However, investigations may proceed without an author's response when necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record or where the circumstances require independent verification.
The journal will maintain appropriate confidentiality during investigations while recognizing that information may need to be shared with relevant institutions or authorities.
3. Outcomes
The action taken depends on the nature, extent, and seriousness of the issue and may include:
No action, where the concern is not substantiated;
Author clarification;
Correction or corrigendum;
Addendum;
Editorial note;
Expression of concern;
Retraction;
Notification of an institution, funder, or other relevant authority;
Other appropriate action to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.
If a concern arises before publication, the manuscript may be returned to the authors for clarification or revision or may be rejected.
4. Corrections
A correction is appropriate when an error in a published article affects the accuracy, clarity, completeness, or usefulness of the article but does not invalidate the principal findings or conclusions.
Corrections may address, for example:
Factual or typographical errors;
Errors in figures, tables, or captions;
Incorrect or incomplete information;
Author affiliation errors;
Errors in references or metadata;
Other substantive errors that can be corrected without invalidating the article.
A correction notice will clearly identify the article being corrected and describe the changes made. The notice will be permanently linked to the original article.
5. Corrigenda and Errata
JERR may use the terms corrigendum and erratum where appropriate to distinguish corrections originating from authors from errors introduced during the editorial or production process.
Regardless of terminology, the primary objective is to ensure that the published scholarly record accurately reflects the corrected information.
Minor typographical or formatting errors that do not affect the meaning, interpretation, or integrity of the article may be corrected without a formal correction notice when editorially appropriate.
6. Addenda
An addendum is a formal addition to a published article that provides important information that was unavailable or omitted at the time of publication.
Addenda will normally be considered only when the additional information is sufficiently important to affect the reader's understanding of a significant aspect of the published work.
An addendum does not replace the original article and will be clearly linked to it.
7. Editorial Notes and Expressions of Concern
7.1 Editorial Note
An editorial note may be published when clarification is required regarding an article or its publication history but the circumstances do not warrant a formal correction or retraction.
7.2 Expression of Concern
An Expression of Concern (EOC) may be published when substantial concerns exist about the reliability, integrity, or ethical status of a published article but the investigation is incomplete or the available evidence is insufficient to make a final determination.
An EOC is not a finding of misconduct. It alerts readers to a significant unresolved concern while the matter is being investigated.
When the investigation is concluded, JERR may publish a subsequent correction, retraction, or other appropriate notice and, where appropriate, update the Expression of Concern accordingly.
8. Retraction
Retraction is reserved for circumstances in which the published article is sufficiently unreliable or seriously compromised that it should no longer be regarded as part of the reliable scholarly record.
An article may be retracted when there is clear evidence that:
The principal findings or conclusions are unreliable because of major errors, miscalculations, methodological problems, or other serious deficiencies;
Data or results have been fabricated or falsified;
Images or other research materials have been seriously manipulated;
Substantial plagiarism has been identified;
The article substantially duplicates previously published work without appropriate justification, disclosure, or attribution;
The research was conducted unethically or without required ethical approval where such approval was necessary;
Material data, figures, images, or other intellectual property were used without authorization in circumstances that materially affect the publication;
Serious undisclosed conflicts of interest have materially affected the reliability or interpretation of the work;
The article was published as a result of a compromised, manipulated, or fraudulent peer-review process;
There is serious legal or ethical misconduct that materially affects the validity or continued publication of the article;
Other circumstances establish that the article is fundamentally unreliable or seriously compromises the integrity of the scholarly record.
Retraction may be considered whether the problem originated with the authors, reviewers, editors, or other participants in the publication process.
9. Circumstances That Do Not Normally Require Retraction
Retraction is not normally appropriate when:
A correctable error does not invalidate the principal findings or conclusions;
An authorship dispute exists but the scientific validity of the article is not affected;
A conflict of interest exists but is unlikely to have materially influenced the interpretation or reliability of the work;
Evidence is inconclusive and does not justify retraction, although an Expression of Concern may be appropriate;
A minor error can be adequately addressed through a correction.
The final decision will depend on the specific circumstances and available evidence.
10. Retraction Notice
When an article is retracted, JERR will publish a clear and permanent Retraction Notice explaining the reason or reasons for the retraction.
The notice will:
Identify the retracted article and its bibliographic information;
Clearly state that the article has been retracted;
Provide sufficient information about the reason for retraction;
Distinguish the responsibility for the problem where this can be established;
Be permanently linked to the original article;
Be independently identifiable as a retraction in the journal's online record and metadata where applicable.
Retraction notices will normally be published promptly after the decision rather than being unnecessarily delayed until a subsequent issue.
11. Retained Access to Retracted Articles
A retracted article will normally remain accessible to preserve the scholarly record and the transparency of the publication history.
The article's PDF and online record will be clearly marked “RETRACTED”, and the retraction notice will be prominently linked to the article.
The original article will not normally be removed or replaced solely because it has been retracted. Removal of an article may occur only in exceptional circumstances, such as where continued public availability would create a serious legal or public-safety risk. In such circumstances, the journal will retain the article's bibliographic metadata and a clear record indicating that the article was retracted and why.
12. Corrections to Published Articles
JERR will not normally replace the original published article with an unmarked revised version.
Where an article requires correction, the journal will publish a formal correction notice linked to the original article. Where the publishing platform permits an updated article version, the changes will be clearly identified and the publication history will remain transparent.
The date and nature of substantive changes will be documented so that readers can distinguish the corrected version from the original publication.
13. Notification of Relevant Organizations
Where appropriate and proportionate to the circumstances, JERR may notify:
The authors' institution or employer;
Research-integrity or ethics committees;
Funding organizations;
Editors or publishers of related publications;
Relevant indexing or scholarly-record organizations;
Other appropriate authorities.
Such notifications may occur when required to protect the integrity of the research record or to address suspected research or publication misconduct.
14. Appeals and Requests for Reconsideration
Authors may request reconsideration of a correction, expression of concern, or retraction decision when they can provide substantial new evidence or demonstrate a significant factual or procedural error in the decision-making process.
Appeals should clearly state the grounds for reconsideration and provide supporting evidence where applicable.
The Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately designated independent editor will review the appeal. Where necessary, additional expert advice may be obtained.
An appeal does not automatically suspend a published correction, Expression of Concern, or retraction notice.
15. No Fees for Corrections or Retractions
Authors will not be charged fees for the publication of corrections, corrigenda, errata, addenda, Expressions of Concern, or retraction notices.
Editorial decisions concerning corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions are independent of publication fees or the authors' ability to pay.
16. Preservation of the Scholarly Record
JERR is committed to maintaining a transparent and reliable scholarly record. Corrections, addenda, Expressions of Concern, and retractions will be clearly identified and linked to the affected publication so that readers can understand the publication history.
The journal will take reasonable measures to ensure that relevant changes and post-publication notices are reflected in article metadata and communicated to appropriate indexing and scholarly-information services where applicable.
17. Commitment to Research Integrity
JERR will address post-publication concerns fairly, transparently, and proportionately. The journal's primary objective is to protect the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record while ensuring that authors and other affected parties are treated fairly throughout the investigation and decision-making process.
