Corrections and Retractions

Padjadjaran Law Review (PLR) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, completeness, and integrity of the scholarly record. When errors, concerns, or research misconduct are identified in a published article, the journal takes appropriate action in a timely and transparent manner. This policy is guided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Retraction Guidelines, the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and the NISO Recommended Practice on Retracted Science.

1. Guiding Principles

  • Preservation of the scholarly record. Published articles are retained in the scholarly record and are not ordinarily deleted. Any necessary changes are documented through notices linked to the original publication, allowing readers to identify the amendments and understand their rationale.
  • Correction rather than punishment. The purpose of corrections and retractions is to safeguard the accuracy and reliability of scholarly communication, rather than to penalize authors.
  • Timely action. The journal seeks to address all cases without undue delay to minimize the risk of readers relying on inaccurate or misleading information.
  • Transparency and accessibility. All correction notices, expressions of concern, and retraction notices are made freely available and clearly explain the reasons for the action taken.

2. Types of Post-Publication Actions

a. Correction

A correction is issued when an article contains an error that does not undermine its principal findings or conclusions. Corrections are classified into two categories:

  • Erratum. An erratum addresses mistakes introduced by the journal during editorial processing, typesetting, or publication, such as an incorrectly spelled author name, an inaccurate institutional affiliation, or an omitted table.
  • Corrigendum. A corrigendum addresses errors attributable to the author(s), including incorrect citations, inaccuracies in data or legal references, and incomplete disclosures concerning funding or conflicts of interest.

Each correction is published as a separate notice with its own Digital Object Identifier (DOI) and is linked to the original article. Where appropriate, the published article may also be amended, provided that a note on its first page identifies the date and nature of the correction.

b. Expression of Concern

An expression of concern may be issued when the editors have substantial doubts regarding an article's reliability or integrity, but the available evidence does not yet support a definitive decision. This may arise when:

  • an investigation by the journal or the author's institution remains ongoing;
  • the evidence available is insufficient to establish a conclusive finding; or
  • there are reasonable concerns about the fairness or impartiality of the investigation.

The expression of concern is linked to the relevant article and remains in place while the matter is assessed. Following the conclusion of the investigation, the journal may issue a correction or retraction, or withdraw the expression of concern if the allegations are found to be unsubstantiated.

c. Retraction

Retraction is appropriate when an article's findings or conclusions are no longer sufficiently reliable to remain part of the scholarly record without a clear retraction notice. Grounds for retraction may include:

  • compelling evidence of data, source, or legal-material fabrication or falsification;
  • a significant error that invalidates the article's findings or conclusions;
  • plagiarism or undisclosed self-plagiarism;
  • duplicate or redundant publication;
  • serious ethical breaches, including research involving human participants without informed consent where such consent is required;
  • undisclosed conflicts of interest that materially compromise the validity or reliability of the work;
  • manipulation of authorship or the peer-review process; or
  • unauthorized use of materials or data, or infringement of copyright or other legal rights.

The journal assesses each case on its merits and determines whether retraction is necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

d. Removal

Removal of a published article from the journal's website is an exceptional measure reserved for circumstances in which continued public access would create serious legal or safety concerns. Such circumstances may include:

  • content that clearly violates legal rights, including defamatory material;
  • compliance with a court order; or
  • information that poses a substantial risk to an individual's safety, such as the identity of a protected source or research participant.

When removal is necessary, the article's bibliographic metadata, including its title, authors, and DOI, remains available on the website alongside a notice explaining that the article has been removed for legal reasons.

e. Replacement

In exceptional cases involving a serious but unintentional error, the journal may consider publishing a corrected version of an article if the error can be rectified by the authors and the corrected version produces different findings or conclusions. In such circumstances, the original article is retracted, and a replacement version is published. The retraction notice explains the grounds for the action and provides links to both the original and replacement versions.

3. Retraction Procedure

The journal follows a transparent and evidence-based process when considering the retraction of a published article.

  1. Initiation of the process. A retraction may be proposed by the author(s) or initiated by the editorial team following post-publication discussion, allegations of research misconduct, or findings arising from an investigation conducted by the author's institution.
  2. Investigation and right to respond. The editors examine the available evidence in accordance with COPE flowcharts and the journal's policy on Allegations of Research Misconduct. The author(s) concerned are given an opportunity to respond to the issues raised.
  3. Editorial decision. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for making the final decision on retraction. The journal seeks the authors' agreement on the wording of the notice wherever practicable. However, a lack of agreement does not prevent the journal from proceeding with a retraction when justified, and the notice will indicate that the authors did not agree where relevant.
  4. Publication of the notice. The retraction notice is published in the next available issue or online as soon as practicable. It receives its own DOI and is linked to the original article.

4. Requirements for Retraction Notices

Every retraction notice must provide clear and sufficient information to explain the action taken. Accordingly, the notice shall:

  • carry the title “Retraction: [Original Article Title]”;
  • identify the author(s) and provide the complete bibliographic citation of the original article;
  • link to the original article, with the original article also linking back to the notice;
  • explain the reasons for retraction in clear, factual terms and distinguish between an honest error and research misconduct where applicable;
  • identify the party or parties that initiated the retraction; and
  • use objective, professional, and non-defamatory language.

All retraction notices are made freely accessible to readers.

5. Handling of Retracted Articles

To preserve the scholarly record and ensure that readers are adequately informed, a retracted article remains accessible on the journal's website unless exceptional circumstances require its removal under this policy.

The journal applies the following measures to retracted publications:

  • the article's title on the journal website is clearly marked “RETRACTED”;
  • every page of the article's PDF is watermarked “RETRACTED”; and
  • the retraction is reported to Crossref and relevant indexing services in which the journal is listed, so that the article's metadata and publication status can be updated accordingly.

These measures ensure that the article's publication history remains traceable while making its retracted status clear to readers.

6. Withdrawal of Manuscripts Before Publication

Withdrawal applies to manuscripts that have not yet been published and must be distinguished from the retraction of an already published article.

  • Before acceptance. An author may request withdrawal by submitting a written explanation to the editorial team. The request must be signed by all authors.
  • After acceptance but before publication. Withdrawal is permitted only in exceptional circumstances supported by compelling reasons and requires the approval of the Editor-in-Chief.
  • During peer review. A manuscript undergoing review at Padjadjaran Law Review must not be submitted to another journal unless and until the editorial team has provided written confirmation that the withdrawal has been approved.

These requirements are intended to prevent duplicate submissions and maintain the integrity of the editorial and peer-review processes.

7. Article Processing Charges

Article processing charges (APCs) are non-refundable when a published article is retracted as a result of errors or misconduct attributable to the author(s). However, corrections necessitated by errors introduced by the journal are made without charge to the author(s).

8. Appeals

Authors who disagree with a decision to issue a correction, publish an expression of concern, or retract an article may submit a written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief within 30 days of receiving notification of the decision.

The appeal must set out the grounds for challenging the decision and include any new evidence or substantive arguments supporting reconsideration. It is reviewed by editors who were not involved in the original decision to ensure an independent assessment. The outcome of the appeal is final.