RETRACTION, CORRECTION & EXPRESSION OF CONCERN POLICY

1. Corrections

A correction notice (corrigendum or erratum) will be published when:

  • An author(s) discovers a significant factual, methodological, or analytical error in a published article that does not affect the overall conclusions
  • An error was introduced during editorial production or typesetting
  • Authorship requires amendment after publication (addition of omitted contributor, removal of an author who did not qualify, or correction of attribution)

Correction notices are published as separate, citable items and are bidirectionally linked to the original article. The original article is updated online to display a prominent header notice linking to the correction. The Version of Record is updated in all archiving systems.

2. Retractions

A published article will be retracted when:

  • The findings are found to be unreliable due to honest error (e.g., miscalculation, flawed methodology), data fabrication, or data falsification
  • The work constitutes duplicate or redundant publication without proper disclosure to the journal
  • The work has been found to be substantially plagiarised from another source
  • The research was conducted without required institutional ethics approvals or informed consent
  • Authors or their institutions have engaged in research misconduct that fundamentally undermines the integrity of the findings
  • Legal considerations require removal (e.g., defamation, privacy violation)

Retracted articles are NOT removed from the journal website or from archive systems. They are clearly and permanently marked “RETRACTED” in the article title, abstract, full text, and metadata, along with the date and stated reason for retraction. The full text remains accessible to enable identification of the retracted work in reference lists and citation databases.

3. Expression of Concern

An Expression of Concern may be published when:

  • An investigation into potential misconduct is underway and a final determination cannot yet be reached
  • There is documented evidence of unreliability but the investigation is inconclusive
  • An institution has failed to conduct an investigation that the editors have reason to believe is warranted

An Expression of Concern is replaced or withdrawn once the investigation is concluded. It may be replaced by a correction notice, retraction, or a statement of exoneration as appropriate.

4. Voluntary retraction by authors

Authors who discover a significant error or ethical problem in their own published work are obligated to notify the Editor-in-Chief promptly. The journal will work with authors to issue the appropriate correction or retraction. Authors who cooperate voluntarily and promptly are acknowledged in the published notice.

5. Reporting concerns

Concerns about the integrity of any published article may be submitted confidentially to the Editor-in-Chief at editorinchief.jmc@gmail.com. All reports will be acknowledged within 5 business days. The editors will follow the relevant COPE flowcharts throughout the investigation. All parties named in a concern are given the opportunity to respond before any decision is made. Investigations are conducted confidentially.

6. Appeals

If a retraction decision is disputed, the authors may submit a formal written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief within 30 days of notification. The appeal must present specific, documented grounds for challenging the decision. The Editor-in-Chief may consult an independent expert before reaching a final determination.