The Journal of Hypermedia & Technology-Enhanced Learning follows the COPE Retraction Guidelines to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the academic record. Articles must remain accurate, relevant, and unchanged wherever possible, but there may be cases where withdrawal, retraction, or correction is necessary.
Article Withdrawal
Article withdrawal applies to articles that have been accepted after review but are still classified as “Online-First Articles” or “Articles in Press.” Withdrawal may occur if the article contains serious errors or violates ethical standards, including issues like multiple submissions or plagiarism. In such cases:
- A withdrawal notice will be issued that clearly states the reason for withdrawal.
- The article’s HTML and PDF versions will be replaced with this notice.
- Authors will be notified and given the opportunity to respond before the withdrawal is finalized.
Note: Withdrawal is applied in cases where the article has not yet been formally published in a volume or issue. For articles that have been fully published, retraction would be more appropriate.
Article Retraction
Retractions are reserved for more serious issues such as plagiarism, unethical research practices, fabricated data, or other ethical violations that compromise the validity of the research. In line with the COPE Retraction Guidelines, the retraction process will involve the following:
- A retraction notice will be published in a subsequent issue, titled "Retraction Notice to: [Article Title], Vol. No. (Year) pp. (DOI)," signed by the authors and/or the editor.
- The DOI of the original article will be retained, but the PDF will include a watermark stating "RETRACTED" on all pages.
- The retraction notice (including DOI) will also be added in the abstract of the original article.
- The retraction notice will provide a clear explanation of the reasons for the retraction and identify who requested it (whether the authors or the editorial team). The notice will also specify the steps taken to investigate the issue.
Retractions will only occur after a thorough investigation and discussion with the authors.
In cases where the author fails to respond despite multiple attempts at communication and a comprehensive investigation, the article retraction process may proceed in accordance with COPE guidelines. In such instances, the journal will publish a retraction notice that clearly outlines the reasons for the retraction, the steps taken during the investigation, and explicitly states that the author did not respond to the communication efforts. The final decision to retract the article will be made by the editorial team based on the available evidence, with the objective of maintaining the integrity and transparency of the journal, even in the absence of the author’s clarification or response.
Corrections
Minor corrections (such as typographical errors) will be documented with a correction statement added to the article and its webpage. Significant corrections that do not alter the integrity of the article but impact the interpretation of results will be accompanied by an editorial notice explaining the nature of the changes. All corrections will be documented in relevant academic databases.
- Minor Corrections: These include typographical, grammatical, and formatting errors. They will be corrected with a transparent correction statement and will be visible to readers in both the article and on the article's webpage.
- Significant Corrections: These involve changes that affect the understanding of the article but do not alter its overall conclusions. A clear editorial notice will accompany such corrections, explaining the nature and scope of the revisions.
The Journal of Hypermedia & Technology-Enhanced Learning does not make silent corrections, ensuring all updates are visible to the readers and transparent in the academic record.
Corrections and Retractions for Online-First Articles
In cases where an issue (such as a scientific or ethical error) is discovered after an article is published as an online-first article, the following actions will be taken:
- Substantive Corrections: If the article’s core findings remain valid, a substantive correction will be issued. This will involve replacing the original version in the “Online-First Articles” section with the corrected version. A detailed editorial notice will explain the nature of the changes.
- Retraction for Significant Errors: If the issue undermines the validity of the research (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication), the article will be retracted. A retraction notice will be published, and the DOI will remain active. Relevant indexing services will be notified of the retraction.
In both cases, authors will be notified, and a transparent record of the correction or retraction will be maintained.
Article Removal: Legal Limitations
In rare cases, an article may need to be removed for legal reasons, such as defamation, intellectual property issues, or public health concerns. In such cases:
- The article’s metadata (title, author names) will remain visible, but the content will be replaced by a note explaining the legal reason for removal.
- The legal reason for the removal may be generalized in the note, but if possible, a brief explanation will be provided.
Article Replacement
If an article poses a health risk or has significant errors that compromise public safety, the authors may retract the original and replace it with a corrected version. A retraction notice will be issued, and a link to the corrected article will be provided. The corrected article will replace the original in the article section, with appropriate updates in the metadata and databases.
The Journal of Hypermedia & Technology-Enhanced Learning does not charge fees for corrections or retractions resulting from ethical concerns such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or other similar issues.
References:
Committee on Publication Ethics. (2019). Retraction Guidelines. Retrieved from https://publicationethics.org/retraction-guidelines