Our commitment
Honest scholarship depends on a record that readers can trust. From time to time a published article needs to be corrected, clarified, or, in serious cases, retracted. Open Access Pub (OAP) handles every such case openly, consistently, and on the basis of evidence rather than convenience or pressure. We do not make undisclosed changes to an article after publication; any change to the version of record is documented and made visible to readers.
OAP aligns its practices with the COPE Core Practices and follows COPE's guidance and retraction guidelines when assessing post-publication concerns. We use Crossmark so that readers can see, directly from the article, whether the version of record has been updated and where to find any related notice. Corrections and retraction notices are published openly and are handled free of charge — there is no fee to an author for a correction, and no fee to a reader to access any article or notice.
This page complements Policy 10 in our Editorial Policies and sits alongside our wider publication ethics and peer-review commitments. Where this page and Policy 10 describe the same process, they are intended to be read together.
Types of post-publication amendment
Not every concern leads to a retraction. We use a defined taxonomy so that the action taken is proportionate to the issue, and so that readers can immediately understand what has changed and why.
| Amendment | When it is used |
|---|---|
| Erratum | Corrects an error introduced by the publisher during production or processing (for example, a typesetting or formatting error) that affects the published record. |
| Corrigendum | Corrects an error made by the author(s) that affects the published article but does not undermine its overall findings or conclusions. |
| Editorial Expression of Concern | Alerts readers that a serious concern has been raised about an article while an investigation is ongoing and a final outcome has not yet been reached. |
| Retraction | Used when the findings of an article are no longer reliable, or where there is confirmed misconduct or a serious ethical or legal problem, on grounds consistent with COPE guidance. |
| Article Removal | Reserved for rare cases where, on legal or overriding ethical advice, the content itself must be removed (for example, defamatory material or a serious privacy or safety risk). A notice is retained in its place. |
Grounds for retraction
Following COPE guidance, an article may be retracted where there is clear evidence of one or more of the following. A retraction is an editorial finding about the reliability or integrity of the work, not a judgement on the motives of any individual; honest error and deliberate misconduct can both lead to retraction.
- ✓The findings are unreliable, whether as a result of honest error or of research or data misconduct.
- ✓Plagiarism, including substantial overlap with the work of others without proper attribution.
- ✓Redundant or duplicate publication of the same material.
- ✓Unethical research, including work conducted without appropriate ethical approval or consent.
- ✓Compromised or manipulated peer review.
- ✓Undisclosed competing interests that materially affect the interpretation of the work.
- ✓Copyright infringement or other serious legal problems.
How corrections and retractions are published
When an article is corrected or retracted, our priority is that the scholarly record remains complete and citable. We do not delete the original article, because other researchers may already have read, cited, or built upon it, and the record of what was published must be preserved.
The version of record is preserved
The original article is not removed. It remains accessible so that the published record can be examined, even after a retraction.
The DOI persists
The article's Crossref DOI continues to resolve. Existing citations and links remain valid and lead readers to the article together with any related notice.
A notice is published and linked
A correction, expression of concern, or retraction notice is published in its own right and linked bidirectionally with the original article, so readers reach one from the other.
The PDF is clearly labelled
Where an article is retracted, the PDF and online version are watermarked or labelled so the status is unmistakable, and Crossmark surfaces the update.
In the rare event of an Article Removal required on legal or overriding ethical grounds, the bibliographic metadata and a notice explaining the removal are retained in place of the content, so that the existence of the original record is still documented.
How to raise a concern
Anyone — a reader, an author, a reviewer, or a member of the public — may raise a concern about a published article, and may do so in confidence. Concerns should be sent to [email protected]. We take every credible concern seriously and assess it on its merits.
What to include
- The article title, journal, and DOI (or a link to the article).
- A clear description of the specific concern and, where possible, the affected text, figures, data, or references.
- Any supporting material or evidence that helps us evaluate the concern.
- Your contact details, so we can follow up; we will respect a request to keep your identity confidential.
Fair process and the author's right to respond. Concerns are assessed independently of any commercial consideration and independently of the original editorial decision. Where a concern relates to a specific editor's or reviewer's involvement, that person is excluded from handling it to avoid any conflict of interest. Authors are informed of substantive concerns about their work and are given a fair opportunity to respond before any final decision is made. Outcomes are based on evidence and on COPE guidance, not on the identity, seniority, or affiliation of those involved.
Questions about a published article?
To raise a concern or request a correction, contact our editorial office at [email protected].
Read the related Editorial Policies (Policy 10) · Peer Review · Contact Us