Corrections, retractions and updates after publication

 

Incursions into the Imaginary Policy on Corrections, Retractions, and Updates After Publication

 

1. Purpose and Scope

Incursions into the Imaginary (InImag) is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. This policy outlines the procedures for issuing corrections, retractions, and updates to published material to ensure that readers have access to accurate and reliable information. The policy applies to all content published by InImag, including research articles and book reviews.

2. Guiding Principles

InImag’s policy is grounded in transparency, accountability, and fairness to authors, editors, and readers. This document is developed in-house, and it is adapted to the journal’s specific scope and mission.

3. Types of Post-Publication Changes

a) Corrections

• Definition: A correction notice will be issued when a minor error (e.g., typographical, factual, or metadata error) may impact the interpretation of the article but does not compromise the reliability or scientific validity of the work. The notice will be approved by all authors of the original article.
• Procedure:
  • Authors should notify the Editor-in Chief in writing.
  • The editorial team investigates the error and consults with the authors as needed.
  • If approved, a correction notice is published, clearly linked to the original article (with DOI cross-referencing), and the online version of the article is updated with a note specifying the date and nature of the change.

b) Retractions

• Definition: Issued when published content is found to be unreliable due to major errors, plagiarism, ethical breaches, or research misconduct (e.g., data fabrication or falsification). Retractions serve to correct the scholarly record and are not intended as punishment.
• Procedure:
  • Authors or their institutions may request retraction if valid grounds exist.
  • The editorial team initiates an investigation.
  • Authors are contacted and given an opportunity to respond.
  • A retraction notice is published in the journal, clearly linked to the original article, stating the reason for retraction and who is retracting (authors and/or editors).
  • The original article remains accessible but is watermarked or marked clearly as retracted to maintain the scholarly record.

c) Updates and Expressions of Concern

• Definition:
  • Update: Used for significant but non-critical additions (e.g., funding acknowledgements or new data supplementary to the original study).
  • Expression of Concern: Used when there is inconclusive evidence of potential problems (e.g., ongoing investigation of ethical issues) but the issue is significant enough to notify readers, or when findings appear unreliable and the authors’ institutions are uncooperative in resolving the matter.
• Procedure:
  • Updates are handled similarly to corrections and linked to the original article.
  • Expressions of concern are issued by the editors, with a clear statement of reasons and the status of any ongoing investigation.

 

d) Article Removal

• Definition: InImag will consider removing an article only in exceptional circumstances, such as content posing a significant risk of harm, breaches of privacy or legal rights, or in the case or defamatory content or material subject to a court order.
• Procedure:
  • When an article is removed, a formal removal notice will replace the original text to maintain the integrity of the publication record.

 

4. Transparency and Documentation

All corrections, retractions, updates, and expressions of concern must be:

·        Freely accessible (open access).

·        Linked to the original publication via DOI.

·        Indexed and communicated to abstracting and indexing services where applicable.

5. Responsibility and Review

The Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board are responsible for implementing this policy. InImag commits to periodically reviewing these procedures to ensure alignment with evolving best practices and ethical standards in scholarly publishing.