The Andalasian International Journal of Agricultural and Natural Sciences (AIJANS) is committed to upholding the integrity and accuracy of the scientific record. Maintaining trust in the academic literature is crucial; therefore, we have clear procedures for handling errors, corrections, and retractions in published articles. These procedures are designed to address the mistakes that compromise the reliability of the research or ethical violations that undermine the publication.

Corrections (Corrigendum/Erratum)

Corrections are issued for minor errors that do not affect a published article's overall validity or conclusions. These can include typographical errors, author name misspellings, incorrect data points in figures or tables, or minor reference mistakes.

• Identification of Errors: The authors or readers can notify the editorial team of errors. Once identified, the editorial team will evaluate the significance of the mistake.
• Correction Procedure:
  1. Authors submit a formal request for correction, specifying the error and the proposed correction.
  2. The editorial team reviews the request to ensure the correction is valid and does not impact the core findings of the research.
  3. If approved, the correction is published as a Corrigendum or Erratum in the next available issue or online. The corrected version of the article will include a link to the published correction, ensuring transparency.
  4. The article's metadata will be updated to reflect the correction, and readers will be notified about the changes.

Retractions

A retraction is issued when significant errors, ethical breaches, or scientific misconduct, such as plagiarism or data fabrication, invalidate the findings of an article. The goal of retraction is to remove flawed research from the scientific record to prevent it from being used or cited in future research.

• Conditions for Retraction:

  1. Evidence of plagiarism or significant ethical violations.
  2. Data falsification or fabrication that compromises the validity of the research.
  3. Significant methodological errors render the findings unreliable.
  4. Duplicate publication or submission to multiple journals without the knowledge of the original journal.
  5. Legal disputes over copyright or intellectual property.

  Note: Retraction is not used for minor errors or disagreements over interpretations of data, which can often be resolved through corrections or post-publication discussions.

• Retraction Process:

  1. When potential grounds for retraction are identified, the editorial team will conduct a thorough investigation, consulting with the authors and reviewers if necessary.
  2. If the investigation confirms a severe issue, the journal will formally retract, explaining the reason and the basis for the decision.
  3. The retraction notice will be linked to the original article, which will remain available but will be marked as retracted to maintain the integrity of the scientific record.
  4. The metadata of the article will be updated to reflect the retraction.

Withdrawal (Before Publication)

Withdrawal is the removal of a manuscript before it is formally published, either during peer review or after acceptance but before appearing in a journal issue.

• Conditions for Withdrawal:

  1. Authors discover significant errors or ethical concerns in their manuscripts before publication.
  2. Ethical violations are discovered during the review process.
  3. The manuscript was submitted to multiple journals simultaneously without the knowledge of the editorial team.

  Note: Withdrawal after acceptance is discouraged unless there are significant ethical issues or legal disputes. Authors cannot withdraw an accepted manuscript to submit it to another journal.

• Withdrawal Procedure:

  1. Authors must submit a formal withdrawal request explaining the reason for the request.
  2. The editorial team will review the request, and if it is valid, the manuscript will be withdrawn, and the authors will be notified.

Guidance on Ethical Misconduct

AIJANS follows the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines when handling ethical violations and misconduct. The journal takes allegations of plagiarism, data manipulation, and other unethical behaviour seriously, and all cases are thoroughly investigated. Retractions or other corrective actions are implemented based on the severity of the violation.

Transparency and Accountability

All corrections, retractions, and withdrawals will be handled transparently. AIJANS ensures that:

• The public record clearly states the reasons for any retraction, correction, or withdrawal.
• Retraction notices and corrections are prominently linked to the original article to maintain the transparency of the scientific record.
• Authors and readers are informed promptly about any updates or changes to the status of an article.

By adhering to these policies, AIJANS ensures the highest level of integrity in its published content and contributes to the overall reliability of the academic literature.