Retraction, Correction, and Expression of Concern Policy

The Journal of Media, Culture and Communication (JMCC) is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. This policy governs how the journal handles post-publication errors, retractions, and expressions of concern. JMCC follows the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in all post-publication decisions.

Corrections (Erratum/Corrigendum)

A correction notice will be issued when a published article contains errors that do not affect the overall findings, conclusions, or integrity of the research. Corrections may be initiated by the authors or by the editorial board. A correction notice will: - Clearly identify the original article by title, authors, volume, issue, and DOI - Describe the nature of the error and the corrected content - Be published in the next available issue and linked bidirectionally to the original article via DOI

Retractions

A retraction will be issued when published findings are found to be unreliable as a result of misconduct (e.g., data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism) or honest error (e.g., major methodological flaw that invalidates the conclusions), or when the work was published without proper ethical approval or informed consent.

The retraction notice will: - Follow COPE’s Retraction Guidelines - Clearly state the reason for retraction - Remain permanently linked to the retracted article, which will be watermarked “RETRACTED” on all pages including the PDF - Include the date of retraction

Retracted articles will not be removed from the journal’s online platform, as the record of their existence is part of the scholarly record.

Expressions of Concern

An expression of concern may be issued when the editorial board has evidence of possible misconduct but investigations are ongoing, or when an investigation has produced inconclusive results. This alerts readers while the matter is being investigated.

Initiating a Retraction or Correction

Authors, reviewers, readers, or institutions who identify errors or misconduct in a published article should contact the editorial office at [editor@hmjournals.com] with full details and supporting evidence. All concerns are treated confidentially during the investigation process.

Timeline

The editorial board will acknowledge receipt of a concern within 10 business days and will aim to complete an investigation within 60 days. Authors whose work is under investigation will be given the opportunity to respond before any decision is made.