Corrections & Retractions Policy
Research Pillars Publishing is committed to maintaining an accurate and reliable scientific record and will act on credible evidence that a published work requires correction, an expression of concern, or retraction, consistent with COPE guidance.
Correction
Used for honest errors that affect the reliability of specific reported details but do not undermine the overall validity of the work — for example, an incorrect figure, a data-entry error, or a missing funding disclosure. A correction notice is published, linked to the original article, and describes the change transparently.
Expression of Concern
Issued when there is credible but not yet conclusive evidence of a serious problem (e.g., an ongoing institutional investigation, unresolved data integrity concerns), to alert readers while the matter is investigated.
Retraction
Used when the article's findings are shown to be unreliable due to misconduct (e.g., data fabrication, plagiarism) or major honest error, when the work is redundant or duplicative without proper cross-referencing, or when it involves unethical research or publication practices. A retraction notice is published, linked to the original article, states the reason, and identifies who initiated it (authors, editor, or institution).
Process
The Editor-in-Chief evaluates evidence, consulting institutional bodies, ethics advisors, or COPE guidance as needed.
Authors are given the opportunity to respond before a correction, expression of concern, or retraction is finalized, except where this is not possible or appropriate.
Retracted articles remain accessible, clearly watermarked as retracted, in line with scholarly record-keeping norms — they are not removed from the published record except in exceptional legal circumstances (e.g., defamation, court order).
Post-Publication Correction Requests
Readers or authors identifying a potential error post-publication should contact the journal's editorial office directly, providing sufficient detail for the editor to evaluate the concern.