Corrections & Retractions

Advances in BioScience (ISSN 2583-0058) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the scientific record. This policy outlines the procedures for addressing post-publication concerns—including corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions—in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), ensuring that all matters are handled fairly and proportionately while safeguarding the rights of all parties involved.

Research and Publication Misconduct

Advances in BioScience maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward research and publication misconduct. If misconduct is confirmed after due process, the journal will take appropriate corrective actions, which may include:

  • Retraction of the article with a clear explanatory note
  • Notification of the authors’ institutions and relevant funding agencies
  • Implementation of sanctions against involved individuals (e.g., temporary or permanent submission bans), applied proportionately to the severity and frequency of the violation
  • Publication of corrections, errata, or expressions of concern as necessary

The journal will act decisively and proportionately to address confirmed breaches of ethical conduct. Detailed investigation procedures are described in the ‘Handling of Ethical Issues’ section below.

Post-Publication Actions

Corrections

Corrections serve to maintain the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the scientific record by formally addressing significant errors in published articles. They apply to errors that affect the clarity, accuracy, or presentation of an article—such as typographical mistakes or minor data inaccuracies—provided they do not invalidate the overall findings, interpretations, or conclusions.

Types of Corrections

  • Erratum: An erratum is issued when an error is introduced by the journal during editorial handling, typesetting, or production.
  • Corrigendum: A corrigendum is issued when authors identify an error in their published work. All authors should ideally approve the corrigendum prior to publication. However, if one or more authors are unresponsive after documented reasonable contact attempts, or if consensus cannot be reached despite good-faith efforts, the Editor-in-Chief may proceed with publication to protect the integrity of the scholarly record. The notice will transparently indicate the circumstances of its issuance.

Examples of Correctable Errors

Correctable errors include typographical mistakes, inaccuracies in author names or affiliations, errors in figure or table labeling, minor data inaccuracies, or formatting issues, provided these do not affect the scientific validity or conclusions of the article.

Initiation of Corrections

Corrections may be initiated by authors, editors, reviewers, or readers after publication. All requests must be submitted to the editorial office with clear documentation identifying the error and the proposed correction.

Editorial Review and Approval

All correction requests are assessed by the editorial office to determine the nature, extent, and impact of the error. Authors are consulted to verify accuracy and provide supporting information. Final approval for publication of a correction rests with the Editor-in-Chief.

Correction Publication Method

Corrections are published as separate, citable notices and are bidirectionally linked to the original article. Each notice is titled 'Correction to:' followed by the original article title and clearly explains the nature of the error. The specific type of correction (Erratum or Corrigendum) is identified within the text. The original article remains an unaltered part of the scholarly record; it is not replaced or removed. It remains permanently accessible with a prominent notice indicating that a correction has been issued. Corrections are published without charge to authors.

Indexing and Archiving

All correction notices are indexed and archived to ensure visibility and traceability in bibliographic databases.

Distinction from Retractions

Errors that compromise data integrity, ethical compliance, or the validity of conclusions are not handled through corrections and instead follow the Expression of Concern (EOC) or Retraction procedures described below.

Expressions of Concern

An Expression of Concern (EOC) is a formal notice issued to alert readers when there are serious, unresolved doubts regarding the integrity or reliability of a published article. It is used when an investigation is underway but has not yet reached a definitive conclusion, serving as a transparent notification to readers during an ongoing investigation.

Circumstances for Issuance

An EOC may be published when there are credible concerns related to data integrity or reliability, potential research misconduct, ethical approval or consent issues, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or authorship or publication ethics disputes.

Initiation

Concerns may be raised by authors, editors, institutions, reviewers, or readers.

Editorial Assessment

The Editor-in-Chief evaluates the concerns and determines whether issuing an EOC is warranted while investigations are conducted.

Publication and Linking

The EOC is published as a separate, citable notice and is clearly linked to the original article. The notice briefly describes the nature of the concerns without reaching definitive conclusions.

Outcome and Follow-up

Following completion of the investigation, the EOC will be addressed in one of the following ways:

  • If concerns are cleared, a final notice is published and linked to the article; the EOC remains part of the record but is marked as resolved
  • If the investigation finds the work is valid but contains specific errors, the EOC is superseded by a formal Correction
  • If the investigation reveals fundamental issues that invalidate the conclusions, the EOC is superseded by a Retraction.

Retractions

A retraction is a formal notice indicating that a published article is unreliable and should not be regarded as part of the validated scholarly record. It is issued when major errors, unethical practices, or compromised data render the work fundamentally unreliable, requiring formal action to protect the integrity and transparency of the published literature.

Grounds for Retraction

Retraction may be warranted in cases of:

  • Fabrication, falsification, manipulation, or misrepresentation of data.
  • Plagiarism or redundant/duplicate publication.
  • Ethical violations (e.g., human/animal ethics non-compliance).
  • Major methodological or analytical errors invalidating conclusions.
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest affecting the integrity of the work.
  • Authorship fraud or disputes resulting in invalid authorship claims.

Initiation

Retractions may be initiated by authors, editors, institutions, or a third party.

Editorial Assessment and Investigation

The Editor-in-Chief evaluates reported concerns and, where necessary, initiates and oversees an investigation in consultation with the authors and relevant institution(s), in accordance with COPE guidelines. An Expression of Concern may be issued at this stage if the investigation is ongoing and unresolved. If the investigation confirms grounds for retraction, the Editor-in-Chief formally issues the retraction decision and implements the necessary publication updates to safeguard the integrity of the scholarly record.

Retraction Notice

Retraction notices are published as distinct, citable records that clearly state the specific grounds for the retraction (e.g., honest error or misconduct) and identify the retracting party (authors, editors, or publisher). They are permanently and bidirectionally linked to the original article and explicitly indicate whether the authors agree or disagree with the retraction. Retraction notices remain freely accessible and will not be removed or altered once published.

Article Status

To prevent inadvertent citation and ensure the research is not treated as valid, both the PDF and HTML versions of the original article will be prominently and permanently watermarked with the word “RETRACTED” on each page.

Financial Policy on Retractions

Article Processing Charges (APCs) or other publication fees paid for the original article are non-refundable once the article has been published, except in cases of demonstrable publisher error. This policy applies to all retractions, including those resulting from honest author error, administrative oversight, or confirmed research misconduct. No additional fees will be charged for the publication of a retraction notice.

Handling of Ethical Issues

Advances in BioScience takes all ethical concerns related to submitted manuscripts or published articles seriously and is committed to addressing them in a fair, transparent, and confidential manner. Ethical issues may be identified before or after publication and may be raised by authors, reviewers, editors, institutions, readers, or third parties.

All reported concerns are initially assessed by the Editorial Office. These may include, but are not limited to, suspected research or publication misconduct, authorship disputes, ethical approval deficiencies, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or data integrity issues. Where appropriate, concerns are referred to the Editor-in-Chief for further consideration.

Detailed procedures for investigating allegations and determining responsibility are governed by the journal’s Policy on Research and Publication Misconduct, which strictly follows the guidelines and flowcharts provided by the COPE. Where necessary, the journal may involve the authors’ affiliated institutions or relevant authorities to ensure a thorough and impartial review.

During the assessment process, all parties involved are expected to cooperate fully and respond promptly to requests for information or clarification. The journal will handle all ethical matters with due respect for confidentiality, procedural fairness, and the integrity of the scholarly record. To encourage the reporting of genuine concerns, the journal protects individuals who raise concerns in good faith and, where appropriate, an EOC may be attached to articles under post-publication investigation.

Depending on the nature and outcome of the review, appropriate post-publication actions—such as corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions—may be taken in accordance with the journal’s established policies. 

The journal aims to complete investigations in a timely manner; however, complex cases may require extended review.

Right to Appeal

Authors or complainants may appeal a decision within 30 calendar days by submitting a detailed rebuttal to the Editorial Office, in accordance with the journal's Appeals and Complaints Policy. Appeals must demonstrate a procedural irregularity or provide new evidence to be considered for secondary review by the Editor-in-Chief or an independent committee. Decisions reached after the appeal process are final.

Publication Ethics Resources

Authors, reviewers, and editors are encouraged to refer to the following resources for more information on publication ethics:

To ensure the integrity of the scientific record, Advances in BioScience requires all authors, reviewers, and editors to adhere strictly to these Ethical Guidelines. Upholding the principles of publication ethics is a collective responsibility shared by all parties throughout the editorial and post-publication processes. By submitting a manuscript, authors explicitly agree to abide by the journal's ethical guidelines and publication policies and to cooperate fully and transparently with any investigation of alleged misconduct or ethical concerns. Confirmed violations of these guidelines may result in appropriate editorial or administrative actions.

For any questions or concerns regarding publication ethics, contact the Editorial Office at editor@sospublication.co.in.