Corrections & Retractions

ETERNAL - English, Teaching, Learning and Research is committed to maintaining the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the published scholarly record. Although manuscripts undergo editorial assessment, peer review, and production checks before publication, errors or concerns may occasionally be identified after an article has been published.

ETERNAL therefore provides mechanisms for correcting the published record when necessary and for retracting articles when their findings or publication status can no longer be considered reliable.

Post-publication actions are taken on the basis of evidence and in accordance with the principles of publication ethics and scholarly integrity.

1. Corrections

A correction may be issued when an error in a published article affects the accuracy, clarity, completeness, or understanding of the article but does not invalidate the overall scholarly contribution or findings.

Corrections may concern, for example:

  • factual or typographical errors;
  • incorrect author or affiliation information;
  • errors in tables, figures, captions, or supplementary materials;
  • errors in references or bibliographic information;
  • errors in data presentation that do not alter the main conclusions;
  • omissions or inaccuracies in article metadata; or
  • other errors that require formal amendment of the published record.

Where a correction is necessary, ETERNAL will normally publish a formal correction notice linked to the original article. The original article will remain part of the scholarly record, and the correction will clearly identify the information that has been amended.

Minor typographical or formatting errors that do not affect the meaning, interpretation, or scholarly record may be corrected during production or, where appropriate, without issuing a separate correction notice.

2. Major Corrections

A more substantial correction may be considered when an error has a meaningful effect on part of the article but does not invalidate the article as a whole.

Depending on the nature of the error, ETERNAL may:

  • publish a detailed correction notice;
  • correct the relevant version of the article where technically and ethically appropriate;
  • explain the nature and extent of the correction;
  • link the correction directly to the original article; and
  • notify relevant indexing or abstracting services when necessary.

The journal will aim to maintain a transparent record of any substantive post-publication changes.

3. Expressions of Concern

ETERNAL may publish an Expression of Concern when there are serious or unresolved concerns about an article, but the available evidence is not yet sufficient to justify a retraction or other definitive action.

An Expression of Concern may be considered when, for example:

  • credible allegations of research or publication misconduct are under investigation;
  • the reliability of important data or findings has been questioned;
  • an institutional investigation is pending;
  • substantial ethical concerns have been raised; or
  • the journal requires additional information before reaching a final decision.

An Expression of Concern does not itself establish that misconduct has occurred. It serves to alert readers to a significant unresolved concern while an appropriate investigation or assessment is undertaken.

If the concern is subsequently resolved, ETERNAL may update the record with an appropriate notice or further editorial action.

4. Retraction

Retraction is a serious post-publication action used when an article is found to contain findings, data, or conclusions that are sufficiently unreliable, or when the publication process involved serious misconduct or ethical violations.

An article may be considered for retraction when evidence indicates, for example:

  • substantial fabrication or falsification of data;
  • plagiarism or serious unauthorized appropriation of others' work;
  • duplicate or redundant publication that materially affects the scholarly record;
  • serious errors that invalidate the main findings or conclusions;
  • serious manipulation of the research or publication process;
  • unethical research involving human participants or other serious ethical violations;
  • invalid or unreliable data or methods that substantially undermine the article;
  • fraudulent authorship or serious authorship-related misconduct;
  • failure to disclose a significant conflict of interest where that omission materially affected the research or its interpretation; or
  • other circumstances in which the integrity or reliability of the published article is fundamentally compromised.

Retraction is intended to correct the scholarly record. It is not primarily intended as a punitive measure against authors.

5. Retraction Process

Before retracting an article, ETERNAL will, where reasonably possible:

  1. assess the nature and credibility of the concern;
  2. review the available evidence and relevant editorial records;
  3. provide the authors with an opportunity to respond to the concern;
  4. consult appropriate editors, reviewers, independent experts, or relevant institutions where necessary;
  5. determine whether correction, Expression of Concern, or retraction is the appropriate action; and
  6. document the basis for the final decision.

Where an allegation concerns research or publication misconduct that requires institutional investigation, ETERNAL may contact the authors' institution or another appropriate authority.

The journal may proceed with appropriate editorial action when sufficient evidence is available, even if an institutional investigation is unavailable, delayed, or inconclusive, where necessary to protect the integrity of the published scholarly record.

6. Retraction Notices

When an article is retracted, ETERNAL will publish a clear and accessible Retraction Notice explaining the reason for the retraction.

The notice will normally:

  • identify the retracted article;
  • state that the article has been retracted;
  • provide the reason or reasons for the retraction;
  • indicate whether the retraction concerns all or part of the article;
  • identify the parties responsible for the retraction where appropriate; and
  • remain permanently linked to the original article.

The original article will normally remain accessible as part of the scholarly record but will be clearly marked as RETRACTED. The article should not be presented as valid research after retraction.

7. Retraction by Authors or by the Journal

A retraction may be initiated by:

  • the authors;
  • the Editor-in-Chief;
  • another member of the editorial team;
  • the publisher; or
  • another party who raises a credible and substantiated concern.

Authors may voluntarily request retraction when they identify a serious problem that materially compromises their article.

A request for retraction by authors does not automatically result in retraction. The journal will assess the evidence and determine the appropriate action in accordance with its editorial policies and publication ethics principles.

ETERNAL may also retract an article without the authors' agreement when the evidence indicates that retraction is necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

8. Corrections Versus Retractions

ETERNAL distinguishes between errors that can be corrected and problems that fundamentally undermine an article.

In general:

Correction
Used when the article remains substantially reliable but contains an error that should be formally corrected.

Expression of Concern
Used when a significant concern exists but the available evidence is insufficient for a final determination.

Retraction
Used when an article is sufficiently unreliable or seriously compromised that it should no longer be regarded as part of the valid scholarly literature.

The appropriate action will depend on the specific circumstances and evidence available.

9. Post-Publication Data or Methodological Concerns

Concerns about data, analysis, research methods, or interpretation may be raised after publication.

ETERNAL may request additional information from the authors, including:

  • research data where ethically and legally permissible;
  • research instruments;
  • methodological documentation;
  • ethics approval or informed-consent documentation;
  • clarification of analytical procedures; or
  • other evidence relevant to assessing the reliability of the published work.

Where an identified problem can be resolved without undermining the article's overall validity, a correction or clarification may be considered.

Where the problem substantially undermines the findings or conclusions, further editorial action, including retraction, may be necessary.

10. Authors' Right to Respond

Authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond to substantive post-publication concerns before a correction, Expression of Concern, or retraction is issued, where reasonably practicable.

Authors' responses will be considered as part of the editorial assessment but do not determine the final outcome.

When appropriate, relevant responses or clarifications may be documented in the post-publication record.

11. Third-Party Concerns

Readers, researchers, reviewers, institutions, and other stakeholders may notify ETERNAL of concerns about a published article.

A concern should provide sufficient information to allow the journal to assess the matter, including, where possible:

  • the title and DOI or other identification of the article;
  • a clear description of the concern;
  • relevant evidence or documentation; and
  • the basis on which the reliability or integrity of the article is questioned.

Anonymous concerns may be considered when they contain sufficiently specific and verifiable information, although the journal may be unable to provide individual follow-up to anonymous complainants.

12. Transparency of the Scholarly Record

ETERNAL is committed to maintaining a transparent and traceable publication record.

Where a substantive post-publication action is taken, the journal will provide an appropriate notice and maintain a clear link between the notice and the affected article.

Where technically possible, relevant article metadata and publication-status information will also be updated to reflect the post-publication action.

The journal will make reasonable efforts to communicate significant corrections, Expressions of Concern, and retractions to relevant indexing and abstracting services.

13. Editorial Independence

Post-publication decisions are based on scholarly evidence, publication ethics, and the integrity of the academic record. They should not be influenced by commercial interests, institutional pressure, personal relationships, or the status or reputation of the authors.

Editors handling a post-publication concern should disclose relevant conflicts of interest and, where appropriate, be replaced by another editor who can assess the matter independently.

14. Contact

Concerns regarding a published article should be submitted through the journal's official editorial contact channel. Correspondence should clearly indicate whether the matter concerns a Correction, Expression of Concern, Retraction, Research Integrity Concern, or Post-Publication Concern.

ETERNAL welcomes responsible and evidence-based communication from authors, reviewers, readers, institutions, and other members of the scholarly community.

The journal may update this policy periodically to reflect developments in publication ethics, scholarly communication, and standards for maintaining the integrity of the academic record.