Correction & Retraction

The Indonesian Journal of Research and Educational Review (IJRER) is committed to maintaining the integrity, accuracy, and completeness of the permanent scholarly record. Once an article is published, it forms part of the citable scientific record. In accordance with guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), IJRER applies strict protocols for issuing Corrections (Errata and Corrigenda), Expressions of Concern, and Article Retractions.

1. Principles of Permanent Scholarly Record: Articles published in IJRER remain permanently accessible. The journal strictly avoids modifying published articles directly without issuing a formal public notice. Any changes, corrections, or removals of published content are executed via permanent, bidirectionally linked notices assigned unique Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs).

2. Categories of Post-Publication Actions

  • Erratum (Publisher Error): An Erratum is issued to correct a significant error introduced by the journal during the copyediting, layout typesetting, or production process that impacts the clarity, integrity, or correctness of the published paper. Examples: Misprinted values in numerical tables, omitted co-author affiliations introduced during layout, or corrupted graphical figures. Implementation: A formal Erratum notice is published in the next available issue, assigned a distinct DOI, and bidirectionally linked to the original article HTML/PDF.
  • Corrigendum (Author Error): A Corrigendum is issued to correct an unintentional error or omission made by the authors that does not invalidate the overall scientific findings or primary conclusions of the study. Examples: Omission of a funding grant number, minor mathematical calculation typos in non-critical equations, or unintended spelling errors in participant demographic tables. Implementation: Drafted by the authors, approved by the Editor-in-Chief, assigned a unique DOI, and linked directly to the original article.
  • Expression of Concern: An Expression of Concern is an official notice published by the Editor-in-Chief to alert readers about potential serious research misconduct or severe data inconsistencies while a formal investigation is ongoing. Criteria for Issuance: Evidence of severe misconduct (e.g., data manipulation, image duplication, fake peer review) is identified, but an institutional investigation is inconclusive or indefinitely delayed. Authors fail to provide raw data or reasonable explanations within the designated inquiry timeframe. Outcome: The Expression of Concern remains attached to the article until the investigation concludes with either exoneration, a Corrigendum, or a full Retraction.
  • Article Retraction (Fatal Flaw or Misconduct): A Retraction is the formal withdrawal of a published paper when its findings, methodologies, or data are rendered invalid, unreliable, or ethically compromised. Grounds for Retraction (COPE Standards): (1) Unreliable Findings: Clear evidence that the main conclusions are unreliable due to major honest error (e.g., miscalculation, experimental error) or deliberate scientific misconduct (e.g., data fabrication, image manipulation). (2) Plagiarism & Redundancy: Substantial plagiarism > 20% or duplicate publication without proper cross-referencing or permission. (3) Ethical Breaches: Unapproved human participant research, fake peer-review arrangements, or authorship sale/paper mill involvement. (4) Undisclosed Conflicts: Severe undisclosed competing interests that compromise the scientific objectivity of the paper.
  1. Technical Execution of Retraction: To maintain transparency while preserving the historical publishing archive:
  • Retraction Notice: A formal notice titled "Retraction: [Article Title]" is published in the journal's current issue and indexed in Crossref.
  • Watermarked PDF: The original PDF of the article remains accessible on the journal website to ensure citation continuity, but every page is permanently watermarked in bold red text with "RETRACTED".
  • Abstract Page Update: The HTML abstract page is updated with a prominent notice explaining the exact reasons for retraction and who initiated it (Authors, Editor-in-Chief, or Institution).
  1. Article Removal (Exceptional Circumstances): In extremely rare legal or safety circumstances, an article may be completely removed from the online platform. Article removal is restricted to cases where:
  • The content is explicitly defamatory, infringes upon legal privacy rights, or breaches a court order.
  • The content poses severe, immediate health or safety risks if acted upon.
  • In such cases, the article text is removed, but the metadata and HTML abstract page remain, displaying a clear statement detailing the legal or safety reason for removal.