Corrections, Retractions and Expressions of Concern Policy

SAER Journal is committed to maintaining the accuracy, reliability, and transparency of the published scholarly record. Where an error, omission, ethical concern, or other issue affecting the reliability of a published work is identified, the journal may take appropriate post-publication action according to the nature and seriousness of the issue.

1. General Principle

Post-publication actions are taken to correct the scholarly record and ensure that readers receive accurate information. Corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern are not intended primarily as punitive measures; their principal purpose is to protect the integrity and reliability of the published record.

2. Corrections

A correction may be issued where a published article contains an important error or omission that requires clarification but does not invalidate the principal findings or overall scientific validity of the work.

Examples of issues that may require correction include, but are not limited to:

Material errors in author names, affiliations, or contact information,
Errors in text, tables, or figures that may affect interpretation,
Incorrect or incomplete reference information,
Omissions in funding, conflict-of-interest, or contribution statements,
Data or analytical errors that do not invalidate the central conclusions of the work.

A correction notice will be clearly linked to the original article and, where possible, will explain what has been corrected and why.

3. Author and Publisher Errors

Whether an error originated with the authors or arose during the publication process may be considered when determining the appropriate form of correction. In all cases, the primary objective is to ensure that readers have access to an accurate scholarly record.

4. Retractions

An article may be retracted where serious concerns indicate that its findings or conclusions can no longer be considered reliable.

Grounds for considering retraction may include, but are not limited to:

Fabrication or falsification of data or findings,
Major errors that invalidate the principal conclusions of the work,
Serious plagiarism or unauthorized use of protected material,
Duplicate or otherwise inappropriate publication,
Serious ethical problems affecting the conduct of the research,
Serious authorship or research-integrity violations,
Other circumstances that fundamentally undermine the reliability of the article.

5. Retraction Notices

Where an article is retracted, the retraction notice will be clearly linked to the original publication. Where appropriate, the notice will state the reason for the retraction and identify who initiated the action.

To preserve the integrity of the scholarly record, the bibliographic record of a retracted article will normally remain available rather than being deleted entirely. Where technically and legally possible, the online article will be clearly identified as retracted.

6. Expressions of Concern

An expression of concern may be issued where serious questions exist regarding the reliability or ethical acceptability of a published article but the available information is not yet sufficient to support a correction or retraction.

An expression of concern may be considered particularly where:

A serious allegation of research or publication misconduct is under investigation,
The journal is awaiting the outcome of an institutional or regulatory investigation,
Available evidence is insufficient for a definitive post-publication decision,
An investigation is significantly delayed but readers should be informed of the concern.

7. Opportunity for Author Response

Where appropriate, authors may be asked to provide explanations or supporting documentation before a correction, retraction, or expression of concern is issued. However, disagreement by the authors does not by itself prevent the journal from taking editorial action that is necessary to protect the scholarly record.

8. Institutional Investigations

Where an allegation of research misconduct falls within the responsibility of an author's institution, ethics committee, employer, or another competent authority, SAER Journal may seek information from or refer the matter to the relevant organization.

The journal will not attempt to conduct an institutional investigation beyond its editorial authority but will evaluate the available evidence in accordance with its responsibility for the published scholarly record.

9. Problems Affecting Only Part of an Article

Where a problem is limited to a specific part of an article and the remaining content continues to be scientifically reliable, an appropriate correction or other post-publication notice may be considered instead of full retraction.

10. Removal of Published Content

Complete removal of a published article from the journal website will be considered only in exceptional circumstances. Such circumstances may include legal requirements, serious breaches of privacy or personal data, court orders, or other extraordinary situations in which continued public access would create serious and demonstrable harm.

Where possible, the bibliographic record will be preserved and an explanatory notice will indicate why the content is no longer available.

11. Updated Versions

Significant changes to published articles will be documented in a manner that allows readers to understand what has been changed. Published content will not be silently altered in a manner that undermines transparency of the scholarly record.

12. Editorial Authority

The final editorial decision regarding post-publication action is made by the authorized editor after consideration of the available evidence, author responses, relevant institutional findings where applicable, and the need to protect the reliability of the scholarly record.

13. Transparency

Corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern will be published in a clear and accessible manner and linked to the original article wherever possible. Notices will avoid unnecessary disclosure of confidential or personal information.

14. Policy Updates

SAER Journal may review and update this policy as necessary in response to developments in scholarly publishing, research integrity, and post-publication good practice.