Retract and Correction Policy

Overview

AL-MAQĀṢID is committed to maintaining an accurate, reliable, and trustworthy scholarly record. When published articles are found to contain significant errors, or when misconduct is established, the journal will take appropriate corrective action in a timely and transparent manner, in accordance with COPE Retraction Guidelines.

Corrections (Erratum and Corrigendum)

Erratum

An erratum is issued to correct a significant error introduced by the journal during the production or editing process (e.g., typographical errors, formatting mistakes) that materially affects the article's content or interpretation.

Corrigendum

A corrigendum is issued to correct a significant error made by the author(s) in the original manuscript that affects the accuracy of the published work. Minor errors that do not affect the scholarly record may be corrected via an updated version of record.

Corrections will be published as a separate notice linked to the original article, clearly indicating the nature and scope of the correction.

Retractions

A retraction is a public statement that a published article is unreliable, typically due to:

  • Major scientific error invalidating the article's findings or conclusions
  • Data fabrication, falsification, or manipulation
  • Plagiarism or redundant publication
  • Undisclosed serious conflict of interest that materially affects the results or their interpretation
  • Failure to obtain required ethical approval

Retractions may be initiated by the authors, the institution, or the editorial board. Retracted articles will remain visible on the journal website with a clear 'RETRACTED' watermark, the date of retraction, and a statement explaining the reason. The article's metadata will be updated to reflect the retraction status across all indexing databases.

Expressions of Concern

An expression of concern may be issued when the editorial board has reason to believe that an article contains unreliable data or conclusions, and an investigation is ongoing. This alerts readers to a possible problem while the investigation is completed.

Procedure

  1. An allegation or concern is received by the Editor-in-Chief.
  2. The editorial board assesses the nature and seriousness of the concern.
  3. Authors are notified and allowed to respond.
  4. If warranted, an investigation is conducted in accordance with COPE flowcharts.
  5. A decision is made and communicated to all parties.
  6. A correction, retraction, or expression of concern is published as appropriate.
  7. Relevant institutions and databases are informed of the outcome.