Correction & Retraction Policy

The International Journal of Social Sciences and Development Review (IJSSDR) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the academic record. To uphold these standards, the journal has established clear policies for corrections and retractions of published articles.

1. Corrections

Corrections are issued when minor errors in a published article are identified that do not compromise the overall validity of the research.

Types of Corrections:

  • Erratum (Publisher-Initiated): Issued when errors occur during production, such as formatting mistakes, figure misplacement, or typographical errors.
  • Corrigendum (Author-Initiated): Issued when authors identify factual, analytical, or methodological errors post-publication that require correction but do not invalidate the study’s conclusions.

Correction Procedure:

  1. Identification: Errors may be reported by authors, editors, reviewers, or readers.
  2. Editorial Review: The editorial team evaluates the error’s significance and determines the appropriate correction.
  3. Implementation: A formal correction notice is published, linked to the original article, and indexed in academic databases.

All corrections are clearly labeled and permanently accessible to maintain transparency.

2. Retractions

Retractions are issued when a published article is found to have fundamental issues affecting its validity, reliability, or ethical compliance. Retractions protect the academic community from relying on unreliable or unethical research.

Grounds for Retraction:

  • Research Misconduct: Plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification, unethical authorship practices.
  • Ethical Violations: Lack of required ethical approval for human or animal studies, undisclosed conflicts of interest.
  • Critical Methodological Flaws: Errors or misinterpretations that render conclusions invalid.

Retraction Procedure:

  1. Investigation: The editorial office reviews the issue, consulting authors and, if necessary, institutional representatives.
  2. Editorial Decision: Following COPE guidelines, the editorial board decides if retraction is warranted.
  3. Retraction Notice: A formal notice is published stating the reason for retraction and responsibility. The original article is marked clearly as RETRACTED but remains accessible for academic transparency.

3. Transparency and Indexing

  • All corrections and retractions are freely accessible and permanently linked to the original articles.
  • Notices are clearly labeled in all formats and indexed in databases to ensure traceability.
  • IJSSDR adheres to COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines and international standards in handling corrections and retractions.

4. Editorial Responsibility

  • Editors are responsible for promptly addressing errors or ethical concerns.
  • Authors are expected to cooperate in providing clarifications or supporting information during correction or retraction investigations.

IJSSDR ensures that all corrections and retractions are handled professionally, ethically, and transparently, preserving the integrity of the scholarly record.