Correction and restraction

The UNESA Journal of Chemical Education (UJCEd) is committed to maintaining the permanent integrity and accuracy of the published scholarly record in chemical education. Once an article is published online, it forms a permanent part of the scientific literature (Version of Record).

UJCEd recognizes that honest errors or scientific issues may occasionally arise post-publication. In compliance with Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines, any post-publication adjustments will be executed transparently, formally documented, and permanently linked to the original publication. Unannounced or silent modifications to published text are strictly prohibited.

1. Categories of Post-Publication Actions

   Post-publication modifications are categorized into three formal mechanisms based on the nature and severity of the issue:

   • Corrections (Erratum / Corrigendum)

     A Correction is issued when a small portion of an otherwise reliable manuscript contains an error or omission that misleads readers, but does not invalidate the study's overall scientific conclusions or pedagogical findings.

     • Erratum: Used to correct significant errors introduced by the journal during copyediting, layout formatting, or production processes.
     • Corrigendum: Used to correct significant errors inadvertently introduced by the authors (e.g., miscalculation in statistical data, error in chemistry instructional figures, or minor typographical errors in chemical formulas).
     • Authorship Correction: Used when an eligible author was omitted or an author name/affiliation requires correction, provided that all co-authors agree to the change and no scientific validity is compromised.

     Implementation of correction: The original PDF/HTML article is updated alongside a published Correction Notice detailing the exact changes made, the date of correction, and a direct bidirectional link between the article and the notice.

   • Retractions

     A Retraction is a formal mechanism used to alert the academic community that a published article’s findings, chemical data, or conclusions are severely compromised and can no longer be relied upon. The primary purpose of a retraction is to correct the literature, not to punish authors.

     UJCEd will issue a Retraction in accordance with COPE Retraction Guidelines under the following circumstances:

     1. Unreliable Findings: Clear evidence that the results are unreliable, whether due to scientific misconduct (data fabrication, falsification, or image/figure manipulation) or severe honest errors (major experimental or computational mistakes).
     2. Plagiarism & Duplicate Publication: Proven instances of major plagiarism, text recycling, or redundant submission without proper authorization.
     3. Unethical Research: Evidence of research conducted without appropriate ethical clearance, student/participant consent, or Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval.
     4. Unauthorized AI Usage or Paper Mill Involvement: Proven generation of synthetic research content via AI or involvement of commercial paper mills.

     Implementation of Retraction:

     • The original article PDF is retained online to preserve the historical record, but is prominently watermarked with "RETRACTED" on every page.
     • A separate Retraction Notice titled "Retraction: [Article Title]" is published, assigned a DOI, and linked directly to the original paper.
     • The notice explicitly states who requested the retraction, the objective factual reasons for retraction, and whether the authors agreed with the action.
   • Expressions of Concern

     An Expression of Concern is an official statement issued by the Editor-in-Chief to notify readers of potential issues when:

     • The Editor receives inconclusive evidence of research or publication misconduct by the authors.
     • An institutional or ethical investigation into alleged misconduct is underway, but a conclusive outcome will take considerable time.
     • An investigation appears to be biased or inconclusive.

     Implementation: The notice is published in the journal, linked to the manuscript, and remains active until a final decision