Correction and Retraction Policy

Equator Science Journal (ESJ) takes its responsibility to maintain the integrity, accuracy, and completeness of the scholarly record very seriously. Once an article has been published, changes may only be made under limited and clearly defined circumstances. ESJ follows recognized standards of publication ethics and correction practices to ensure that the published record remains trustworthy and transparent.

Corrections

A correction may be issued when an article contains an error or omission that does not invalidate the overall findings of the work but should be formally amended in the interest of accuracy and clarity. Corrections may relate to factual details, author information, affiliations, data presentation, references, or other parts of the article that require revision.

When a correction is issued:

  • the original article will remain part of the journal record
  • a formal correction notice will be published
  • the correction notice will be linked to the original article
  • the reason for the correction will be clearly stated

If the correction affects the interpretation, discussion, or conclusion of the article, this will also be clearly indicated in the correction notice.

Retractions

A retraction is issued when an article should no longer be regarded as part of the reliable scholarly literature. Retraction may be considered in cases including, but not limited to:

  • clear evidence that the findings are unreliable, whether due to misconduct or honest error
  • plagiarism or substantial unattributed overlap
  • duplicate or redundant publication
  • unauthorized use of data or materials
  • unethical research involving human participants, animals, or other protected subjects
  • serious authorship, data, or ethical violations

When an article is retracted:

  • the article will generally remain accessible as part of the scholarly record
  • a retraction notice will be published and linked to the original article
  • the notice will clearly state the reason for the retraction
  • the notice will indicate whether the retraction was initiated by the authors, the editors, or the publisher

A retracted article will not normally be removed from the journal website unless there are exceptional legal, ethical, or safety reasons that require removal. In such cases, bibliographic information about the article will be retained whenever possible to preserve the integrity of the record.

Publisher Corrections

A publisher correction may be issued when the error results from the journal’s editorial or production process, such as mistakes in article metadata, title, author listing, affiliation, pagination, or other publication details that may affect citation accuracy or readers’ understanding of the article.

In such cases, ESJ may correct the online version of the article and publish a formal notice describing the change. Minor typographical or formatting errors that do not affect the meaning, discoverability, citation, or interpretation of the article may be corrected at the discretion of the editorial team without a separate formal notice.

Article Replacement

In limited circumstances, an article may be replaced with a corrected version when a substantial production or publication error is identified and the correction is necessary to preserve the accuracy of the scholarly record. When this occurs:

  • the corrected version will be clearly identified
  • the date of correction will be stated
  • a correction notice or publisher note will explain the reason for the replacement

The journal will apply article replacement only when editorially justified and in accordance with good publication practice.

Post-Publication Responsibility

Authors are expected to notify the Editor promptly if they discover significant errors or inaccuracies in their published work. Editors, reviewers, readers, or institutions may also raise concerns about a published article. ESJ will assess all such concerns carefully and may seek clarification, supporting documentation, or institutional input before deciding whether correction, retraction, or another editorial action is necessary.

Editorial Basis

All correction and retraction decisions are made with the aim of preserving the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the academic record. ESJ follows recognized ethical standards in handling post-publication issues and may consult relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) where appropriate.

For questions regarding corrections, retractions, or post-publication concerns, please contact the Editorial Office through the journal website:
https://ejournal.edukhatulistiwa.com/index.php/esj/about/contact