Retraction Policy

Commitment to Scientific Record Integrity

GIR-Press is committed to maintaining the integrity and completeness of the published scientific record. We follow the COPE Retraction Guidelines and publish corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions as appropriate when errors, misconduct, or inaccuracies are identified in published articles.

Grounds for Retraction

An article may be retracted if there is clear evidence of one or more of the following:

• Data fabrication or falsification — Manipulation, fabrication, or falsification of research data, figures, or results
• Plagiarism — Substantial reproduction of text, data, or figures from other sources without proper attribution
• Duplicate publication — The article is found to be a duplicate of a previously published work by the same or different authors
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest — Conflicts of interest that would have materially affected editorial decisions had they been disclosed
• Ethical violations — Failure to obtain required ethical approvals for human or animal studies
• Authorship disputes — Confirmed cases of guest, ghost, or fraudulent authorship
• Major unreliable findings — Findings that are demonstrably unreliable due to error or misconduct and where the conclusions cannot be trusted
• Legal issues — Defamation, copyright infringement, or other legal violations

Types of Post-Publication Actions

Correction (Erratum/Corrigendum)

A Correction is published when a relatively minor error in a published article is identified that does not affect the overall reliability of the findings. Corrections are linked to the original article and indexed alongside it.

Expression of Concern

An Expression of Concern is published when:

• An investigation into alleged misconduct is ongoing and inconclusive
• There is credible evidence of unreliability but a full retraction is not yet warranted
• An institution has been notified but has not yet completed its investigation

Retraction

A Retraction Notice is published when the grounds for retraction are confirmed. Retracted articles:

• Remain visible on the GIR-Press website with a clear retraction watermark
• Are updated with a linked retraction notice explaining the reason
• Are flagged in all indexing databases including CrossRef, Google Scholar, and DOAJ
• Retain their original DOI for citation tracking purposes

The Retraction Process

When a concern about a published article is raised:

1. The Editor-in-Chief or editorial team conducts a preliminary assessment of the allegation.
2. Where appropriate, the corresponding author is contacted and given the opportunity to respond.
3. If the concern involves institutional misconduct, the relevant institution may be notified for independent investigation.
4. Based on evidence gathered, the editorial team decides to publish a Correction, Expression of Concern, or Retraction.
5. The decision is communicated to the authors, and a notice is published and linked to the original article.
6. Indexing services are notified to update their records.

Who Can Initiate a Retraction?

• Authors themselves, in cases of honest error
• Editors, upon receipt of credible evidence
• Readers or third parties, via a formal report to the editorial office
• Research institutions or funding bodies following internal investigations

Reporting Concerns

To report concerns about the integrity of a published article, please write to the Editor-in-Chief at editor@girpress.com with full details and any supporting evidence. All reports are treated confidentially.