Corrections, Retractions and Post-Publication Policy

AL-ĪMĀN Research Journal (IRJ) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of the scholarly record.

The journal recognizes that errors or concerns may occasionally be identified after an article has been published. Such matters will be assessed carefully and addressed transparently and appropriately.

1. General Principle

Published articles constitute part of the permanent scholarly record.

AL-ĪMĀN Research Journal (IRJ) will not remove or alter published articles without an appropriate editorial reason.

Where a published article contains an error or raises a significant concern, the journal will take appropriate action while maintaining transparency regarding the nature of the change or concern.

2. Post-Publication Corrections

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

Corrections may relate to, for example:

  • Author information;

  • Affiliation;

  • Funding information;

  • Conflict-of-interest statements;

  • Factual or typographical errors;

  • References or citations;

  • Tables or figures;

  • Minor errors in published content; or

  • Other information requiring correction.

Where appropriate, the correction will clearly identify the original article and describe the correction made.

The original article will normally remain accessible, with the correction linked to the article.

3. Major Errors

Where an error substantially affects the interpretation, reliability, or validity of an article but does not necessarily require retraction, the journal may publish a substantial correction or other appropriate editorial notice.

The editorial decision will depend on the nature and extent of the error and its effect on the scholarly record.

4. Retraction

An article may be retracted when there is clear evidence that its findings or publication are sufficiently unreliable or when serious publication or research misconduct has occurred.

Reasons for retraction may include, but are not limited to:

  • Fabrication or falsification of data;

  • Serious plagiarism;

  • Major ethical violations;

  • Unethical research involving human participants;

  • Duplicate or redundant publication;

  • Serious manipulation of the peer-review or publication process;

  • Significant undisclosed conflicts of interest that materially affect the article;

  • Major errors that invalidate the findings or conclusions; or

  • Other circumstances that substantially compromise the integrity or reliability of the published work.

Retraction is an editorial action intended to correct the scholarly record and should not be interpreted automatically as a finding of misconduct by every author.

5. Retraction Notice

When an article is retracted, the journal will normally publish a clear retraction notice identifying:

  • The title of the retracted article;

  • The authors;

  • The article's bibliographic information;

  • The reason or reasons for retraction;

  • The date of retraction; and

  • A link to the original article where appropriate.

The retraction notice should be clearly linked to the original article.

Where technically possible, the original article will remain accessible but will be clearly marked as Retracted.

6. Expressions of Concern

Where serious concerns exist but the available evidence is insufficient to make an immediate final decision, AL-ĪMĀN Research Journal (IRJ) may publish an Expression of Concern.

An Expression of Concern may be considered where:

  • A significant allegation requires further investigation;

  • Relevant evidence is incomplete;

  • An institutional investigation is pending;

  • There is uncertainty concerning the reliability of published findings; or

  • Other circumstances require readers to be alerted to a potential concern.

An Expression of Concern is not itself a final determination of misconduct or unreliability.

The journal may update or remove the notice when the underlying matter has been resolved, as appropriate.

7. Post-Publication Discussions

AL-ĪMĀN Research Journal (IRJ) recognizes the value of scholarly discussion after publication.

Readers and researchers may raise substantive concerns, comments, corrections, or questions concerning published articles by contacting the editorial office through the official journal contact email.

Submissions concerning published work should:

  • Clearly identify the article concerned;

  • Explain the issue or concern;

  • Provide relevant evidence or references where applicable; and

  • Maintain a professional and scholarly tone.

The editorial office may share substantive concerns with the relevant authors and may seek an appropriate response.

8. Author Responses

Where appropriate, authors of the original article may be invited to respond to a substantive post-publication concern.

The journal may publish an author response, correction, commentary, or other appropriate editorial communication where it contributes meaningfully to the scholarly record.

9. Editorial Assessment of Post-Publication Concerns

Post-publication concerns will be assessed by the editorial team according to their nature and seriousness.

The journal may:

  • Request clarification from the authors;

  • Request supporting data or documentation;

  • Consult independent experts;

  • Contact an author's institution or relevant authority;

  • Publish a correction;

  • Publish an Expression of Concern;

  • Retract the article; or

  • Take another appropriate editorial action.

The journal will seek to handle such matters fairly, confidentially where appropriate, and without unnecessary delay.

10. Authorship Corrections

Requests concerning authorship, author order, affiliations, or contributor information will be handled in accordance with the journal's Authorship and Contributorship Policy.

Where an authorship correction is justified, the journal may publish an appropriate correction notice and update the article's bibliographic information.

11. Ethical and Research Integrity Concerns

Where a post-publication concern involves possible research or publication misconduct, the journal will follow its Publication Ethics and Research Integrity Policy.

The journal may request an investigation by the relevant institution or authority where appropriate.

The journal will consider available evidence before taking editorial action.

12. Corrections to Online and PDF Versions

Where a correction is required, the journal may update the online article and/or published PDF, depending on the nature of the error.

Any substantive correction to the published record should be clearly documented so that readers can distinguish the corrected information from the original publication.

Where appropriate, the journal will preserve the original scholarly record while providing a clear indication that a correction has been made.

13. Retractions and Digital Identifiers

A retracted article's DOI and bibliographic record should remain part of the scholarly record.

Where technically possible, the article's online record will clearly indicate its retracted status, and the retraction notice will be linked to the article.

The journal will not normally delete the DOI or remove the bibliographic record solely because an article has been retracted.

14. Appeals and Disputes

Authors may communicate with the editorial office regarding proposed corrections, retractions, or other post-publication actions.

Where an author disagrees with an editorial action, the matter may be considered under the journal's Complaints and Appeals Policy, where applicable.

The journal's final editorial action will be based on the available evidence, publication-ethics principles, and the integrity of the scholarly record.

15. No Silent Alteration

The journal will not intentionally make substantive changes to a published article without an appropriate record of the change.

Where a substantive correction is required, the journal will provide an appropriate editorial notice or other transparent indication of the change.

16. Responsibility for Published Content

Authors remain responsible for the accuracy and integrity of their published work.

Publication of an article does not prevent the journal from addressing subsequently identified errors, ethical concerns, or research-integrity issues.

17. Policy Framework

AL-ĪMĀN Research Journal (IRJ) may consider recognized scholarly publishing and publication-ethics guidance, including relevant principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), when assessing corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, and post-publication issues.

18. Policy Updates

This policy may be reviewed and updated when necessary to reflect developments in scholarly publishing, publication ethics, and best practices.

Any significant changes will be clearly stated on the journal's website.

Journal:
AL-ĪMĀN Research Journal (IRJ)

Publisher:
Hira Institute of Social Sciences Research & Development