Withdrawal policies

Retraction Policy 

The journal adopts and strictly applies the international guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) as the governing framework for the ethical management of corrections and retractions [1]. These guidelines ensure the preservation of the integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record, in accordance with internationally accepted best practices [2], [3], [4].

Retraction constitutes a formal mechanism for correcting the scientific literature through which the academic community is informed that a published article contains results, data, conclusions, or procedures that cannot be considered reliable [1], [5]. Its purpose is to protect the integrity of scientific knowledge, provide timely notice to readers, researchers, and institutions, and safeguard the reputation of authors acting in good faith.

The journal may issue retractions in situations including, but not limited to:

  • Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of data, images, or results.
  • Total, or partial plagiarism, or redundant publication without authors’ disclosure.
  • Serious methodological errors that invalidate the results or conclusions.
  • Failure to comply with ethical principles in research involving human beings or animals.
  • Improper manipulation of the peer review process.
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest that compromise the validity of the study.

In accordance with COPE recommendations [1], retractions shall:

  • Be public, transparent, and clearly identifiable within the editorial record.
  • Remain linked to the original article through its DOI, ensuring traceability.
  • Explicitly state the reasons motivating the editorial decision.
  • Respect due process and the right of response of the authors involved.
  • Be communicated to databases, indexes, and repositories where the article is indexed.

The journal distinguishes between minor corrections (errata), expressions of concern, and formal retractions, applying each measure proportionally according to the severity and impact of the case under evaluation [1], [5]. Retracted articles will not be removed from the editorial archive, except under duly documented legal or ethical circumstances. Therefore, they shall remain accessible with a clear retraction notice, in accordance with international best practices [2], [3], [4].

All investigations regarding potential irregularities shall be conducted under strict confidentiality until a final editorial decision is reached. The editorial team shall act impartially, free from institutional, commercial, or personal pressures, and shall systematically document the process to ensure transparency in the event of any subsequent review.

References

[1] Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), "COPE Retraction Guidelines," publicationethics.org, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://publicationethics.org/retraction-guidelines

[2] IEEE, "IEEE Publication Services and Products Board Operations Manual," IEEE, New York, NY, USA, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.ieee.org/publications/policies/operations-manual.html

[3] Elsevier, "Article withdrawal, retraction and removal," Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands. [Online]. Available: https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies/article-withdrawal

[4] Springer Nature, "Springer Nature research integrity policies," Springer Nature, London, UK. [Online]. Available: https://www.springernature.com/gp/policies/editorial-policies

[5] Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), "COPE Core Practices," publicationethics.org, 2017. [Online]. Available: https://publicationethics.org/core-practices