RETRACTION, WITHDRAWAL, AND CORRECTION POLICY

A. Introduction
Southeast Asian Journal of Global Trends in Education (SAJGTE) is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of scientific integrity, accountability, and credibility in all published works. In our commitment to upholding these standards, we adhere to internationally recognised guidelines such as those set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). These guidelines ensure that the articles we publish reflect not only high standards of accuracy and ethical conduct but also reliable data. However, we also acknowledge that errors or violations may occur after an article has been published. To address this, we have established a comprehensive policy outlining procedures for handling manuscript withdrawals, article retractions, and corrections to published works. This policy aims to ensure that any necessary actions are taken in an ethical, transparent, and accountable manner. In this regard, the policies and actions taken by SAJGTIE are based on the following guidelines:

B. Description
This policy governs the actions taken regarding manuscripts that have already been published or are currently in the publication process. The actions outlined in this policy are crucial for maintaining academic integrity and trustworthiness in the scholarly record. These actions include:

1. Withdrawal of Manuscript
Withdrawal refers to the removal of a manuscript from the publication process before it is officially published. This can occur for several reasons, such as the discovery of significant errors that could compromise the research's validity, or the simultaneous submission of the manuscript to another journal, thereby violating the principle of exclusive submission.

Reason for Withdrawal:

  • Substantial errors that affect the validity of the study.
  • Simultaneous submission to multiple journals.
  • Author conflicts, such as ethical concerns or authorship disputes.
  • Request from the author due to personal reasons, such as career changes or shifting focus.

2. Retraction of Article
Retraction occurs after an article has been published if significant issues arise that invalidate the research. This may include findings such as falsified data, plagiarism, or ethical violations. Retraction ensures that inaccurate, misleading, or fraudulent information is removed from the public record.

Reasons for Retraction:

  • Data fabrication or falsification.
  • Plagiarism or self-plagiarism.
  • Duplicate publication without proper citation.
  • Violation of ethical standards, such as improper author contributions or failure to obtain necessary approvals (e.g., IRB).

3. Correction of Article
Corrections are issued for minor errors in published articles. These errors do not affect the main conclusions of the article but may involve typographical mistakes, incorrect references, or slight factual inaccuracies. Corrections are necessary to maintain the overall integrity and credibility of the published research.

Reasons for Correction:

  • Typographical errors in text or references.
  • Minor errors that do not affect the overall findings or conclusions.
  • Misidentification of figures or tables that do not alter the scientific message.

4. Addendum & Expression of Concern
An Expression of Concern is issued when there are substantial issues regarding an article that require further investigation but do not yet justify retraction. This may occur when allegations or concerns are raised that require further exploration before a decision can be made.

An Addendum is issued when new, relevant information needs to be added to a published article. This information should not alter the conclusions of the article, but adds clarification or additional data that enhances the understanding of the published work.

Reasons for Expression of Concern:

  • Allegations of ethical misconduct or inaccuracies in the study that require further investigation.
  • Pending results of a more detailed investigation into the validity of the article.

Reasons for Addendum:

  • Additional data or findings that complement but do not change the original conclusions.
  • New insights or clarifications that were not included in the original article but are important to the scientific discourse.

C. Policy Statement
The journal follows specific policies for handling withdrawals, retractions, and corrections of articles to maintain the highest standards of scientific integrity.

1. Withdrawal of Manuscript
A manuscript may be withdrawn from the publication process before it is officially published if substantial errors are identified or if the manuscript has been submitted to another journal simultaneously.

Procedure:

  • Authors must submit a formal written request to the Editor‑in‑Chief explaining the reason for the withdrawal.
  • The Editor‑in‑Chief will review the request and provide a decision within a reasonable timeframe (typically within 7 business days).
  • If approved, the manuscript will be removed from the publication process and will not be published.
  • The withdrawn manuscript will be recorded in the editorial records to ensure transparency.

2. Retraction of Article
Retraction occurs when published articles are found to contain significant errors, ethical violations, or other issues that render the research invalid.

Procedure:

  • The Editor‑in‑Chief will initiate an investigation to assess whether retraction is warranted.
  • If retraction is deemed necessary, a Retraction Notice will be issued, clearly explaining the reason for the retraction.
  • The article will be marked as “Retraction” in both the PDF and HTML versions, and the retraction notice will be made publicly available on the journal’s platform.
  • The retraction notice will provide readers with a transparent explanation of the issues leading to the retraction.

3. Correction of Article
Corrections are made to address minor errors that do not affect the main findings but are necessary to ensure accuracy and transparency.

Procedure:

  • Errors may be identified by the authors, readers, or reviewers.
  • The Editor‑in‑Chief will evaluate whether a correction is necessary and issue a correction if needed.
  • The correction will be published as a separate announcement linked to the original article.
  • If significant changes are made, the article will be marked as a “Corrected Version.”

4. Addendum & Expression of Concern
An Expression of Concern will be issued if significant concerns arise but do not yet warrant retraction. An Addendum will be issued when additional relevant information must be included in the article.

Procedure:

  • If substantial concerns are identified, an Expression of Concern will be issued, clearly stating that the article is under investigation and providing relevant details about the concern.
  • If new information is needed, an Addendum will be issued. The Addendum will provide a detailed explanation and will be linked to the original article without changing the conclusions.

D. Technicalities to Achieve and Materialise the Policies
The following procedures will ensure that the journal adheres to the policy outlined above:

1. Withdrawal of Manuscripts
Submission of Withdrawal Request:

  • Authors must submit a formal withdrawal request via email or the journal’s official form, explaining the reason for the withdrawal.
  • The request should include any supporting documentation, such as evidence of simultaneous submission or of significant errors discovered.

Editorial Decision:

  • Upon receipt of the withdrawal request, the Editor‑in‑Chief will review it and provide a decision within 7 business days.
  • If the manuscript is withdrawn, it will be removed from the editorial process and not published.

Withdrawal Announcement:

  • The withdrawal will be recorded in the editorial records for transparency.
  • The withdrawn manuscript will not be published or made publicly available.

2. Retraction of Articles
Investigation:

  • If a published article is suspected of containing significant errors or ethical violations, the Editor‑in‑Chief will launch a thorough investigation. Relevant parties, including the authors and institutions, may be asked to provide clarifications.

Issuing a Retraction Notice:

  • If retraction is necessary, a Retraction Notice will be published with an explanation for the retraction.
  • The article will be marked as “Retraction” in the PDF and HTML versions, ensuring clarity for the readers.

3. Correction of Articles
Identification of Errors:

  • Errors may be identified by authors, readers, or reviewers. Once an error is identified, the Editor‑in‑Chief will assess whether a correction is needed.

Issuing a Correction:

  • If corrections are required, they will be published as a separate note that explains the changes made.
  • The article will be marked with a “Corrected Version” label if substantial changes are made.

4. Addendum & Expression of Concern
Expression of Concern:

  • If substantial concerns are raised about an article, an Expression of Concern will be issued, indicating that the article is under investigation.

Addendum:

  • If additional relevant information needs to be added to the article, an Addendum will be issued, linked to the original article.

E. Transparency and Communication
All actions (withdrawal, correction, retraction, removal) will be:

  • Transparent and clearly communicated to readers.
  • Communicated to authors and reviewers when relevant, ensuring clarity.
  • Published with clear explanations regarding the reasons for the action, ensuring accountability.

F. Compliance
All actions will be carried out in full compliance with ethical standards, legal requirements, and journal policies. The journal ensures that decisions regarding manuscript handling are made with integrity, fairness, and transparency, and that they adhere to relevant guidelines on intellectual property rights and academic conduct. All actions will be documented and reported in a manner that upholds the trust of the academic community and ensures accountability.

This policy is designed to comply with international publication ethics standards and global best practices, including the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Southeast Asian Journal of Global Trends in Education (SAJGTE) takes its responsibility to maintain the integrity and completeness of the scholarly record of our content for all end users very seriously. SAJGTIE places great importance on the authority of articles after publication, and our policy is based on best practices in the academic publishing community.