Corrections and Retractions Policy

Integrity of the Scholarly Record

Corrections and Retractions Policy

IJESGE maintains the accuracy, transparency and permanence of the scholarly record through clearly identified corrections, retractions and other post-publication notices.

Policy statement

The International Journal of Education and Skills for the Green Economy recognizes its continuing responsibility for articles after publication. When a significant error, omission or integrity concern is identified, the journal will assess the evidence and take proportionate action.

Published articles form part of the permanent scholarly record. Changes will therefore be made transparently through formal notices rather than through silent alteration or removal.

Types of post-publication action

Correction

Issued when an error affects the accuracy, interpretation, attribution or completeness of an article but does not invalidate its principal findings.

Retraction

Issued when the article’s findings are unreliable, the work involves serious misconduct or publication would otherwise significantly damage the scholarly record.

Expression of concern

Published when serious concerns exist but the available evidence is inconclusive or an investigation has not yet been completed.

Removal

Reserved for exceptional circumstances involving legal restrictions, serious privacy risks, safety threats or content whose continued availability would cause substantial harm.

Corrections

A correction may be appropriate when an article contains:

  • An incorrect value, label, date or factual statement;
  • An error in a figure, table, equation or supplementary file;
  • An omission that affects interpretation or reproducibility;
  • An incorrect author name, affiliation or contributor statement;
  • An incomplete funding or conflict-of-interest declaration;
  • A citation or attribution error requiring formal clarification.

Minor errors

Minor typographical, grammatical or formatting errors that do not affect the meaning, interpretation, indexing or scholarly record may not require a formal correction. Editors determine whether an error is sufficiently significant to justify a published notice.

Grounds for retraction

Retraction may be considered when there is reliable evidence that:

  • The findings are unreliable because of fabrication, falsification, serious error or inappropriate analysis;
  • Substantial plagiarism or unauthorized reuse has occurred;
  • The article substantially duplicates previously published work without proper disclosure;
  • The research was conducted or published without required ethical approval or consent;
  • Copyright, confidentiality, privacy or other legal rights have been seriously violated;
  • The peer-review or editorial process was manipulated;
  • Authorship was purchased, fabricated or seriously misrepresented;
  • A major undisclosed conflict of interest affected the reliability or evaluation of the work;
  • The article reports unethical or seriously harmful research.

Retraction does not always indicate misconduct

An article may be retracted because of an honest but fundamental error. Retraction notices will distinguish, where the available evidence permits, between deliberate misconduct and unintentional error.

Retraction notice

A retraction notice will be clearly identified, linked to the original article and made freely accessible. It will state the reason for retraction and identify the person or organization requesting the action when appropriate.

The notice will avoid defamatory or speculative statements and will provide sufficient information to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Treatment of a retracted article

A retracted article will normally remain accessible to preserve the publication record. The article will be clearly marked as retracted, and its online record will be linked to the retraction notice.

The original DOI and bibliographic information will be retained. Retraction must not be used to conceal the existence or history of the publication.

Expressions of concern

An expression of concern may be issued when:

  • Evidence of possible misconduct is inconclusive;
  • An institutional investigation is ongoing or significantly delayed;
  • There are serious concerns regarding the reliability of the article;
  • The authors or relevant institution are unable or unwilling to provide necessary information;
  • A final decision cannot yet be reached, but readers should be informed of the concern.

Investigation procedure

1

Initial assessment

The editor evaluates whether the concern is specific, credible and relevant to the reliability or integrity of the publication.

2

Author response

Authors are normally informed of the concern and given an opportunity to provide an explanation, data or supporting documentation.

3

Evidence review

Editors may consult reviewers, specialists, institutions, ethics bodies, funders or legal advisers where appropriate.

4

Editorial decision

A proportionate decision is made based on the available evidence, publication ethics and the need to protect the scholarly record.

Author-initiated retraction

Authors may request retraction when they identify a fundamental error or another serious problem. The request must explain the reason and be agreed to by all authors where practicable.

The journal independently evaluates every request. Author disagreement does not prevent retraction when the evidence demonstrates that retraction is necessary.

Article removal

Complete removal of an article is exceptional and may occur only when continued publication creates a serious legal, privacy, confidentiality or safety risk.

When removal is necessary, the bibliographic record will normally remain available with a notice explaining why the content is no longer accessible, unless legal restrictions prohibit such a notice.

Appeals

Authors may appeal a correction, expression of concern or retraction decision by submitting a reasoned statement and relevant evidence. Appeals are reviewed by an editor or qualified adviser who was not directly responsible for the original decision whenever practicable.

Governing principle

Post-publication action is intended to correct and protect the scholarly record, not to punish authors. Decisions will be evidence-based, proportionate, transparent and consistent with internationally recognized publication-ethics principles.

Policy owner: Editorial Office of the International Journal of Education and Skills for the Green Economy

Effective date: 2026

Last reviewed: August 2026