Corrections, Retractions, and Matters Arising

Maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record is a core responsibility of the NIET Journal of Engineering and Technology (NJET). While rare, corrections, retractions, or clarifications may be necessary when errors or ethical issues are identified in published articles.

1. Corrections and Retractions

In the event that published articles contain errors or raise concerns, NJET may issue:

• Corrections, if the integrity of the article remains intact but factual inaccuracies need to be clarified.
• Retractions, if the validity of the research findings or conclusions is fundamentally undermined.

All corrections and retractions are issued as separate notices that are clearly indexed and bidirectionally linked to the original article. The original publication will remain accessible in the public domain with a clear record of any amendments made. In certain legal or ethical circumstances (e.g., defamatory content or rights infringement), content may be removed entirely (see Section 2).

2. Who can report concerns?

Authors, readers, or institutions who identify errors or ethical concerns are encouraged to contact the journal’s editorial office directly via the contact details on the journal website. The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with experts if needed, will evaluate the issue in accordance with COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines.

3. Corrections

• Impact the clarity, accuracy, or understanding of the work,
• Do not alter the overall conclusions of the article.

Corrections are published with a note describing the nature of the amendment and remain permanently linked to the original article.

Author Name Changes:

NJET respects authors’ rights to request name changes post-publication (e.g., due to gender identity or personal circumstances). Silent or public correction options are available.

4. Retractions

Retractions are issued when:

• The conclusions of the work are significantly flawed or no longer reliable,
• There is evidence of misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication), or
• Ethical breaches undermine the integrity of the publication.

Retraction notices:

• Clearly state the reason for retraction,
• Remain linked to the original article,
• Apply a watermark labeled “Retracted” to the article,
• Include the prefix “Retracted article:” in the title.

Retractions are intended to correct the scientific record not to punish authors and are managed in line with COPE guidelines.

5. Removal of Published Content

In exceptional legal or ethical circumstances, NJET reserves the right to remove content from its platform. This may occur when:

• The content is found to be defamatory or unlawful,
• Intellectual property rights or privacy are infringed,
• A court or regulatory order mandates removal,
• There is an immediate and serious threat to public health or safety.

In such cases:

• The article may be temporarily or permanently removed,
• Basic bibliographic information (title, authors) will remain visible,
• A public note will explain the reason for removal.

6. Editorial Notes and Expressions of Concern

Editor’s Note

An Editor’s Note may be published when a journal investigation is initiated but not yet concluded. It serves as a preliminary notification to readers and is published online only, without indexing.

Editorial Expression of Concern (EEoC)

An EEoC is a formal statement from the editorial team indicating serious concerns regarding a published article. It:

• Is indexed and citable,
• Receives a DOI,
• Is linked to the original article, and
• May precede a final correction or retraction.

These tools are recommended by COPE to maintain transparency during prolonged investigations.

7. Matters Arising: Post-Publication Commentary

NJET values scientific discourse and supports formal post-publication commentary under the heading “Matters Arising.” This may include:

• Scientific challenges to published results,
• Clarifications or reinterpretations,
• Replication or reproduction studies.

Criteria for publication:

• The commentary must reflect knowledge available at the time of the original article’s publication (not later advancements),
• It will be peer-reviewed,
• Authors of the original article will be invited to respond.

Upon acceptance, both the commentary and any author response may be published alongside each other.