A retraction is a rare event. Publishers and editors are not retracting papers only because the findings have been refuted in subsequent studies (which is a normal process in science) but only in cases of misconduct and other rare circumstances as listed on the COPE website. A retraction can be initiated by editors (after a comprehensive investigation, and after consulting with authors), or by the authors themselves, if they recognize major errors that do not allow them to still stand behind the publication.
(update Feb 2025) Note that author-initiated retraction requests are vetted by the editor, who has the discretion to refuse the request. We do not retract published articles for political reasons (e.g. anti-gender ideology, see also BMJ Editorial).
In many cases, minor errors can be fixed by publishing a corrigendum (How to submit a corrigendum (correction) or addendum) at any point in time after publication, and authors are invited to submit corrigenda if they spot errors in an already published manuscript. If the error leads to the need to rewrite large portions on the manuscript, a "Corrigendum and Republication" may be an option as well. However, in cases of scientific misconduct, e.g. extensive plagiarism only discovered after publication, the editor/publisher reserves the right to flag a paper as retracted, and authors identifying major errors without wanting to republish the manuscript can opt for an author-initiated retraction by writing a joint narrative retraction notice (Word document) together with this form as supplementary file, which needs to be signed by all coauthors. The entire package must be submitted as letter (see How do I submit a letter to the editor?).
JMIR Publications adheres to retraction guidelines and flowcharts of COPE regarding publication ethics concerns that may lead to retraction of an article. A retraction can be initiated by the authors (e.g. if major errors in the analysis are found), or by the publisher, if there is clear evidence for scientific misconduct or errors. Upon receipt of a concern that may involve a request for retraction, a multi-departmental team of leadership and staff at JMIR Publications reviews each manuscript and accompanying complaints/comments according to COPE guidelines to determine a final outcome.
According to COPE guidelines we may also opt to publish an Expression of Editorial Concern instead of a retraction, e.g. while a scientific misconduct investigation is ongoing. According to the Council of Science Editors (CSE), the purpose of an Expression of Editorial Concern is to draw attention to potential problems in a publication, “but it does not go so far as to retract or correct an article.” (example here).
Without Prejudice basis of Expressions of Concerns. Any Expression of Concern we publish in JMIR journals should be seen and interpreted as drawing attention to an ongoing investigation, and must be understood on a without prejudice basis. In other words, it is not meant to and should not be used to affect the rights, or prejudice the position, of any involved parties to the dispute in any subsequent proceedings of any kind.
Retractions are not to be confused with withdrawals:
- Withdrawal means removing a unpublished manuscript from the peer-review/production queue. See How do I withdraw a submitted (but not published) article from peer-review?
- Retraction means removing the entire published manuscript from the scientific literature/record by publishing a retraction statement and marking the paper as retracted in various indices (such as PubMed). The actual paper may remain on the website with a clear statement that it was retracted, linking to the retraction statement.
- Retraction and republication (replacement) may be indicated if the errors are too substantial and cannot be explained or address by a simple corrigendum. If errors invalidate the results and conclusions, and the whole article is determined to be unreliable, then retraction without republication or replacement may be the most appropriate action. However, according to the ICMJE, "retraction with republication (also referred to as 'replacement') can be considered in cases where honest error (e.g., a misclassification or miscalculation) leads to a major change in the results, interpretations, or conclusions. If the error is judged to be unintentional, the underlying science appears valid, and the changed version of the paper survives further review and editorial scrutiny, then retraction with republication of the changed paper, with an explanation, allows full correction of the scientific literature."
Refund Policy
- As noted in JMIR Publications policy: The APF is non-refundable if authors withdraw an article after acceptance (but before publication) and the APF has already been paid. This covers author withdrawal initiations for any reason and at any stage during the production process. It also includes (rare) cases where scientific misconduct or errors/problems with the data come to light during the production/copyediting process, or after publication.
- JMIR Publications Refund Policy
See also:
- How to submit a corrigendum (correction) or addendum
- How do I withdraw a submitted (but not published) article from peer-review?
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