Retraction, Correction, and Expression of Concern Policy

JHMD is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. This policy governs post-publication corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern, following the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and COPE’s Retraction Guidelines (2019).

1. Corrections

A Correction is issued when a published article contains errors that do not affect the overall validity or conclusions of the research. Examples include: typographical errors, incorrect author names or affiliations, figure labelling errors, or minor computational errors that do not change the findings.

Process: Authors or editors who identify a correctable error should contact [editor@hmjournals.com]. A Correction Notice will be published in the next available issue, linked bidirectionally to the original article via DOI.

2. Retractions

A Retraction is issued when a published article is found to be fundamentally unreliable or ethically compromised. Grounds include:

Honest Error: Major methodological flaws invalidating conclusions; analytical errors overturning findings; accidental data duplication.

Research Misconduct: Data fabrication or falsification; plagiarism; undisclosed duplicate publication; publication without consent of all co-authors; research conducted without required ethical approval.

Process: 1. Concerns should be submitted in writing to [editor@hmjournals.com]. 2. The editorial office acknowledges receipt within 10 business days. 3. Accused authors are notified and given opportunity to respond before any decision. 4. If retraction is warranted, a Retraction Notice is published stating: the article (title, authors, DOI); grounds for retraction; who initiated it; and whether authors agree. 5. Retracted articles remain on the journal website, permanently watermarked “RETRACTED” on all pages, with retraction date displayed prominently. 6. Retracted articles are not deleted — their existence is part of the permanent scholarly record.

3. Expressions of Concern

Issued when credible evidence of possible misconduct exists but investigation is ongoing, or when an institution’s investigation yielded inconclusive results. An Expression of Concern is precautionary, not a finding of misconduct.

4. Initiating a Concern

Any individual (authors, reviewers, readers, institutions) may raise a concern. Submit to [editor@hmjournals.com] with supporting evidence. All concerns are treated confidentially during investigation.