Correction and Retraction Policy

Correction, Retraction, and Withdrawal Policy

INCODING: Journal of Informatics and Computer Science Engineering is committed to preserving the accuracy, completeness, and integrity of the published scholarly record. When errors or ethical breaches are identified in published articles, the journal follows the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) Retraction Guidelines through the following formal mechanisms:

1. Corrections (Erratum and Corrigendum)

A formal correction notice is issued when a published article contains an honest error that affects the clarity, metadata, or specific details of the publication but does not invalidate the core scientific methodology, results, or conclusions:

  • Corrigendum (Author Error): Published when the authors identify an unintentional factual, numerical, or authorship error after publication.
  • Erratum (Publisher/Production Error): Published when an error was introduced during copyediting, typesetting, or online production by the journal.

The correction notice is assigned a Crossref DOI, linked bi-directionally to the original article, and explains the exact modification made.

2. Expression of Concern

The Editor-in-Chief may issue an Expression of Concern if credible concerns are raised regarding the integrity of a published article, but the investigation by the authors' institution is ongoing or the available evidence remains inconclusive.

3. Article Retraction

An article will be formally Retracted when post-publication investigation provides clear evidence that:

  • The findings are unreliable due to major technical/experimental error, data fabrication, or falsification;
  • The article constitutes substantial plagiarism or redundant/duplicate publication;
  • The research involved serious ethical violations, unauthorized use of proprietary data/code, or compromised peer review.

Retraction Procedure (COPE Standard):

  • A formal Retraction Notice titled "Retraction: [Article Title]" signed by the Editor-in-Chief and/or authors is published, stating clearly and objectively the reason for the retraction and who is retracting the article.
  • The original article remains accessible in the OJS archive to preserve the historical citation record, but its PDF and HTML pages are clearly watermarked "RETRACTED" and linked permanently to the Retraction Notice via Crossref DOI metadata.

4. Manuscript Withdrawal (Pre-Publication)

Authors who wish to withdraw a manuscript under review must submit a formal written request signed by all co-authors to the Editor-in-Chief explaining the compelling reason for withdrawal. Unilateral withdrawal after peer review has been completed or after a manuscript has been accepted for publication is considered unethical practice.