R-W-C Policy (Retraction, Withdrawal, and Correction)

1. Introduction

Journal of Scientia Technologiae is committed to maintaining the integrity, accuracy, and reliability of the scholarly record in the fields of science, engineering, and technology. This policy outlines the principles and procedures governing the withdrawal, retraction, and correction of manuscripts and published articles to uphold transparency, accountability, and ethical publishing standards.

2. Withdrawal Policy

2.1 Definition

Withdrawal refers to the removal of a manuscript prior to publication, including manuscripts under peer review or those accepted but not yet published online.

2.2 Grounds for Withdrawal

A manuscript may be withdrawn due to:

  • A formal request from the author with valid justification

  • Detection of duplicate or simultaneous submission

  • Identification of major errors before publication

  • Ethical issues such as plagiarism, authorship disputes, or research misconduct

2.3 Procedure

  • Authors must submit a written withdrawal request to the Editor-in-Chief.

  • The editorial board evaluates the request and its justification.

  • If approved, the manuscript is removed from the journal system.

  • Withdrawn manuscripts will not be assigned a DOI and will not appear in the journal archive.

3. Retraction Policy

3.1 Definition

Retraction applies to articles that have been formally published and are later found to contain serious scientific or ethical problems that invalidate the findings or conclusions.

3.2 Grounds for Retraction

An article may be retracted for reasons including:

  • Plagiarism or copyright infringement

  • Data fabrication, falsification, or manipulation

  • Serious methodological or computational errors

  • Redundant or duplicate publication

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest affecting the results

  • Ethical violations in experimental or technological research

3.3 Procedure

  • Retractions may be initiated by authors, editors, reviewers, or third parties.

  • A thorough and impartial investigation is conducted by the editorial board.

  • Authors are informed and given the opportunity to respond.

  • If retraction is confirmed:

    • The original article remains accessible for transparency.

    • A Retraction Notice is published and permanently linked to the article.

    • The article is clearly marked as “Retracted.”

3.4 Retraction Notice

The Retraction Notice will:

  • Clearly state the reason(s) for retraction

  • Indicate who initiated the retraction

  • Distinguish between honest error and research misconduct

4. Correction Policy

4.1 Definition

A correction is issued when a published article contains errors that do not invalidate the overall results or conclusions.

4.2 Types of Corrections

  • Typographical or formatting errors

  • Errors in author names, affiliations, or acknowledgments

  • Minor errors in data presentation, equations, or figures

  • Clarifications of methods, software, or technical descriptions

4.3 Procedure

  • Corrections may be requested by authors or identified by editors or readers.

  • The editorial board assesses the significance of the error.

  • A Correction Notice (Erratum or Corrigendum) is published.

  • The corrected article includes a clear link to the correction notice.

5. Editorial Responsibility

  • The Editor-in-Chief holds final authority over all R-W-C decisions.

  • Decisions are made objectively, transparently, and in line with ethical guidelines.

  • All actions are documented to ensure accountability.

6. Author Responsibility

Authors are responsible for:

  • Ensuring the originality, accuracy, and integrity of their work

  • Adhering to ethical standards in scientific and technological research

  • Promptly notifying the journal of any errors or ethical concerns

  • Cooperating fully during investigations or corrective actions

7. Ethical Standards

This policy adheres to:

  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Retraction Guidelines

  • International standards for responsible scientific and technological publishing

8. Policy Review

Journal of Scientia Technologiae reserves the right to revise this policy to reflect developments in publication ethics, research practices, and technological advancements.