The Editorial Board of the journal Science, Technologies, Innovations adheres to the principles of academic integrity and international standards of publication ethics in matters related to corrections, editorial expressions of concern, and article retractions.
The purpose of this policy is to ensure the reliability of the scholarly record, provide transparent information to readers about significant errors or breaches of publication ethics, and ensure an appropriate editorial response to cases that may affect the scholarly value, reliability, or legitimacy of published material.
General Provisions
The Editorial Board considers requests for corrections, editorial expressions of concern, or retractions in cases involving the identification of:
- significant errors in the text, data, conclusions, or illustrative material;
- plagiarism, self-plagiarism, or other forms of improper borrowing;
- fabrication or falsification of data;
- duplicate publication without proper disclosure to the Editorial Board;
- authorship violations;
- undisclosed conflicts of interest that may have affected the content or conclusions of the article;
- violations of research ethics;
- other circumstances that call into question the reliability or integrity of the published material.
Corrections
If, after publication, errors are identified that do not distort the overall meaning of the article and do not invalidate the reliability of its results, the Editorial Board may publish a correction.
A correction may be issued, in particular, in cases involving:
- technical or editorial errors;
- inaccuracies in information about the author, affiliation, title, abstract, or keywords;
- individual errors in tables, figures, references, or bibliographic description;
- other inaccuracies that do not materially affect the research results or its main conclusions.
The Editorial Board publishes a separate correction notice clearly indicating what has been changed. Where necessary, the correction is accompanied by an updated electronic version of the material.
Editorial Expression of Concern
In cases where reasonable concerns arise regarding a published article, but the review is still ongoing or the available data are insufficient for a final decision, the Editorial Board may publish an editorial expression of concern.
An editorial expression of concern may be issued if:
- the Editorial Board has received information about possible violations that require additional verification;
- an investigation is being conducted by the author’s institution, another editorial office, or another competent body, but its results have not yet been received;
- there are indications of a significant problem, but at the time of review the evidentiary basis remains incomplete.
An editorial expression of concern is temporary in nature and may subsequently be replaced by a correction, a notice confirming the absence of violations, or the retraction of the article.
Retraction of an Article
Retraction is applied in cases where the published material can no longer be regarded as a reliable source of scholarly information or where a significant breach of publication ethics has been established.
Grounds for retraction may include:
- established plagiarism or other improper borrowings;
- fabrication, falsification, or substantial distortion of data;
- duplicate publication of the same article without proper justification and disclosure;
- significant errors that render the results or conclusions unreliable;
- improper authorship or a substantial dispute regarding authorship contribution;
- violations of research ethics;
- manipulation of the peer review process;
- other violations that make the reliable use of the article’s results impossible.
The decision to retract an article is made by the Editorial Board and/or the Editorial Collegium after consideration of all available materials, the explanations of the parties involved, and the results of the review.
Procedure for Consideration
The initiation of a review concerning a correction, an editorial expression of concern, or a retraction may come from:
- the author or co-author of the article;
- a reviewer;
- a member of the Editorial Board;
- a reader;
- the institution with which the author is affiliated;
- another editorial office or another appropriate party that has reported a possible violation.
Upon receipt of such a request, the Editorial Board:
- registers the request and conducts a preliminary review;
- where necessary, contacts the author or authors for explanations;
- may request additional materials, documents, or the position of the author’s institution;
- may, where appropriate, involve the Editorial Board or Editorial Collegium in the consideration of the case;
- makes a decision either that no further action is required, or that a correction, an editorial expression of concern, or a retraction should be published.
In complex cases, the review period may be extended until the necessary explanations have been received or an additional review has been completed.
Form of Notices
Notices of correction, editorial expression of concern, or retraction are published separately on the journal’s website and must include:
- the title of the article;
- the surname and first name of the author or authors;
- the bibliographic details of the publication;
- the type of editorial action;
- the date of publication of the notice;
- a brief explanation of the reasons for the decision.
In the event of retraction, the article is not removed from the journal archive, but is clearly marked as retracted. This is done in order to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record and to inform readers.
Author’s Right to Provide an Explanation
Before a decision is made, the Editorial Board, as far as possible, gives the author or the team of authors an opportunity to provide explanations regarding the circumstances of the case.
The submission of such explanations does not limit the Editorial Board’s right to issue a correction, an editorial expression of concern, or a retraction where sufficient grounds exist.
Review and Appeal
The author has the right to submit a reasoned request to the Editorial Board for reconsideration of the decision if they believe that it was made without due regard to important circumstances or documents.
Such requests are considered in accordance with the journal’s Complaints Procedure.
