Correction & Retraction Policy

Corrections and Retractions Policy

The Gandhara Journal of Natural Sciences (GJNS) is dedicated to preserving the accuracy, integrity, and transparency of the scholarly record. This policy outlines GJNS’s approach to issuing corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern to address errors, ethical breaches, and scientific misconduct in published content.

This policy is aligned with international best practices recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and indexing bodies such as Scopus and Web of Science.

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Purpose of the Policy

This policy ensures that:
✅ Honest errors and misconduct are corrected transparently and swiftly.
✅ Authors, readers, and institutions are notified of changes to the scholarly record.
✅ GJNS maintains the trust of the global academic and scientific community.

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1. Types of Post-Publication Changes

1.1 Corrections (Errata or Corrigenda)

Corrections are issued when minor errors are identified in a published article that do not compromise its scientific validity or conclusions.

Examples of Correctable Errors:

Typographical errors or minor inaccuracies in data
Mislabeling of figures or tables
Incorrect author affiliations or spelling errors
Formatting issues

Process:

Notification to GJNS by authors or readers via email.
Editorial review within 5 working days.
If validated, a Correction Notice is published in the next issue and permanently linked to the original article.

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1.2 Retractions

Retractions are issued when an article contains serious errors or ethical violations that invalidate its findings.

Grounds for Retraction:

Plagiarism or data fabrication/falsification
Major methodological flaws discovered post-publication
Duplicate or redundant publication
Serious authorship disputes
Ethical violations (e.g., lack of informed consent, animal welfare breaches)

Process:

Formation of an Independent Investigation Committee by the Editor-in-Chief.
Authors are informed and provided the opportunity to respond.
A Retraction Notice is published, explaining the reasons.
Retracted articles remain online with a digital watermark (“Retracted”) and links to the retraction notice to maintain transparency and citation integrity.

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1.3 Expressions of Concern

An Expression of Concern may be published when:

An investigation is ongoing and may take significant time.
There is inconclusive evidence of misconduct but credible concerns exist.
This serves as a temporary alert to readers about the reliability of the article.

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2. Procedures for Corrections and Retractions

2.1 Reporting an Issue

Anyone (authors, reviewers, or readers) may report errors or ethical concerns by emailing:
[Insert official GJNS email]
CC: rpashtoon@hotmail.com

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2.2 Editorial Assessment

Acknowledgment of receipt within 5 working days.
Preliminary assessment to determine the type and severity of issue.

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2.3 Decision and Implementation

Action	Timeline
Acknowledge complaint	Within 5 working days
Complete investigation	2–6 weeks
Publish correction/retraction	Next available issue

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3. Value-Added Enhancements for GJNS

✅ CrossMark Integration: A CrossMark icon will be added to all published articles to inform readers about updates, corrections, and retractions.

✅ Preprints Policy Alignment: Corrections and retractions will apply equally to preprints hosted on recognized servers if GJNS later publishes them.

✅ Data Integrity Checks: Articles may undergo random post-publication data audits to ensure integrity.

✅ Transparency Dashboard: Planned on the GJNS website to display statistics on corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern for transparency.

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Cultural and Ethical Sensitivity

All investigations and decisions are conducted with respect to Afghan cultural values and Islamic ethical principles, ensuring fairness to all parties involved.

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Contact for Corrections and Retractions

Email: [Insert official GJNS editorial email]
CC: rpashtoon@hotmail.com
Editorial Office – Gandhara Journal of Natural Sciences, Kandahar University

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Alignment with International Standards

This policy complies with: