Correction Policy | Global Scholar Publications

✏️ Correction Policy

🎯 Purpose of the Correction Policy

The purpose of this Correction Policy is to ensure that errors identified in published research are addressed responsibly and without unnecessary delay. Maintaining an accurate scholarly record is an ongoing responsibility that continues after publication.

Global Scholar Publications uses this policy to:

• maintain accurate, reliable, and trustworthy published research;
• correct meaningful errors without obscuring the publication history;
• distinguish minor editorial mistakes from substantive errors;
• provide transparent correction notices linked to affected articles;
• preserve article identity, publication history, and DOI relationships;
• update article metadata and indexing records where necessary;
• protect authors, readers, editors, institutions, and the wider research community;
• support responsible scholarly communication across all Global Scholar Publications journals.

📚 Scope of This Correction Policy

This publisher-level Correction Policy applies to all journals published by Global Scholar Publications. Individual journals may maintain additional editorial procedures, but those procedures should remain consistent with the principles established by this publisher policy.

The publisher may coordinate with the relevant journal editor, editorial board, authors, reviewers, institutions, or subject experts when evaluating a correction.

📘 Meaning of a Published Correction

A published correction is a formal post-publication notice that identifies and amends an error in a published article while allowing the article to remain part of the scholarly record. A correction is generally appropriate when the article remains substantially reliable but contains information that should be clarified, replaced, or amended.

A correction may address:

• factual errors;
• incorrect data values;
• mistakes in figures, graphs, tables, or diagrams;
• author name or affiliation errors;
• incorrect or incomplete acknowledgements;
• reference and citation errors;
• incorrect article metadata;
• methodological or technical inaccuracies;
• incorrect ethical approval or consent information;
• funding or conflict-of-interest disclosure errors;
• errors in supplementary material;
• other publication errors that materially affect the published record.

⚖️ Principles Governing Corrections

Global Scholar Publications applies the principles of accuracy, transparency, proportionality, accessibility, accountability, and preservation of the scholarly record when evaluating correction requests.

• Meaningful errors should not remain unaddressed.
• Corrections should clearly explain what was incorrect and what has been amended.
• Correction notices should remain permanently connected to the affected article where appropriate.
• The original article identity, publication history, and DOI should normally be preserved.
• Corrections should not be used to conceal plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or other misconduct.
• Minor typographical changes should not create unnecessary formal correction notices.
• The editorial response should be proportionate to the seriousness and effect of the error.
• Readers should be able to identify when a published article has been corrected.

🔍 Sources of Correction Requests

A potential error may be identified by:

• authors;
• editors or editorial staff;
• peer reviewers;
• readers;
• research institutions;
• funders;
• indexing and metadata services;
• copyright holders;
• other journals or publishers;
• other individuals or organizations with credible evidence.

Anyone reporting a potential error should identify the affected article, explain the concern clearly, and provide supporting evidence or documentation where available.

👨‍🔬 Author Responsibility for Reporting Errors

Authors are expected to notify the relevant journal or Global Scholar Publications promptly when they discover a meaningful error or omission in their published work.

Authors should normally provide:

• the article title and DOI;
• a clear description of the error;
• the exact location of the affected content;
• the proposed corrected wording, value, figure, table, or declaration;
• an explanation of whether the error affects the results or conclusions;
• confirmation from all authors where appropriate;
• supporting data or documentation when requested.

Authors should not attempt to conceal substantive post-publication errors. Prompt reporting allows the journal and publisher to determine the most appropriate editorial action.

📝 Minor Errors and Non-Substantive Updates

Very minor errors that do not affect meaning, interpretation, attribution, citation, indexing, or the integrity of the scholarly record may sometimes be corrected without publishing a separate formal correction notice.

Examples may include:

• obvious spelling mistakes;
• minor punctuation errors;
• formatting inconsistencies;
• broken internal links;
• non-substantive layout problems;
• minor typographical errors that cannot mislead readers.

Non-substantive updates should never be used when an amendment affects scientific meaning, data, authorship, disclosures, methodology, conclusions, ethical information, or another material aspect of the article.

📢 Formal Correction Notices

A formal correction notice is appropriate when a published error materially affects the article but the principal findings and overall reliability of the work remain valid.

A formal correction notice should normally:

• identify the original article clearly;
• include the article title, authors, citation information, and DOI;
• describe the original error;
• provide the corrected information;
• state whether the results or conclusions are affected;
• remain permanently accessible where appropriate;
• link electronically to the original article.

Where technically possible, the original article should also contain a clear link or indication that a correction has been published.

🧾 Types of Correction Notices

Depending on the source and nature of the error, Global Scholar Publications or its journals may use terminology such as:

• Author Correction: issued when an error originated from the authors.
• Publisher Correction: issued when an error arose during editing, formatting, typesetting, metadata preparation, or publication.
• Editorial Correction: issued when a journal-generated editorial statement, policy reference, or other editorial element requires amendment.

Terminology may vary according to the circumstances. Regardless of the terminology used, the correction record should clearly communicate what was changed and why.

👤 Corrections to Author Names and Affiliations

Accurate author names and institutional affiliations are essential for attribution, indexing, citation tracking, academic recognition, and research accountability.

A correction may be considered when:

• an author name is misspelled;
• the order or presentation of names is incorrect;
• an institutional affiliation is inaccurate;
• an author identifier is incorrect or missing;
• the corresponding author information is incorrect;
• a legitimate authorship change is approved after publication.

Substantive additions, removals, or reordering of authors must be handled according to the applicable Authorship Policy and may require confirmation from all affected authors or consultation with the relevant institution.

📊 Corrections to Data and Numerical Results

Errors involving data values, calculations, measurements, sample sizes, statistics, units, percentages, or reported results may require a formal correction when readers could otherwise be misled.

The journal or publisher may request:

• original or raw data;
• corrected calculations;
• revised statistical outputs;
• updated tables or figures;
• an explanation of how the error occurred;
• confirmation regarding whether the conclusions remain valid.

If corrected data materially change the principal conclusions or demonstrate that the findings are unreliable, a correction may be insufficient and retraction or another appropriate editorial action may be considered.

📈 Corrections to Figures, Graphs and Tables

A formal correction may be required when a figure, graph, table, diagram, map, engineering drawing, or other visual element contains inaccurate labels, missing information, incorrect values, duplicated elements, or another material error.

The correction may include:

• a replacement figure or table;
• revised labels, legends, units, or captions;
• an explanation of the affected content;
• a statement regarding the effect on results and conclusions;
• updated supplementary material where applicable.

🖼️ Image-Related Corrections

Errors involving photographs, microscopy images, screenshots, engineering drawings, software interfaces, diagrams, or other visual evidence should be evaluated carefully.

A correction may be appropriate when:

• the wrong image was inserted accidentally;
• an image label or caption is incorrect;
• a panel was duplicated unintentionally;
• an image adjustment was incompletely reported;
• the correct underlying data remain available and support the same conclusion.

Where image manipulation, fabrication, falsification, or replacement makes the research findings unreliable, the matter may require an expression of concern, investigation, or retraction rather than a simple correction.

📚 Corrections to References and Citations

Reference corrections may be issued when citation errors affect attribution, source verification, interpretation, scholarly credit, or discoverability.

Examples include:

• incorrect author names or article titles;
• incorrect journal, volume, issue, or page information;
• incorrect DOI information;
• citation of the wrong source;
• omission of a reference essential for attribution;
• reference information generated inaccurately through automated or AI-assisted tools.

Minor reference formatting differences that do not interfere with source identification may not require a formal correction.

📄 Corrections to Methods and Technical Descriptions

Errors in methodological or technical descriptions may require correction when they affect understanding, reproducibility, interpretation, safety, or responsible application of the published research.

A correction may clarify:

• experimental or research procedures;
• equipment specifications;
• software versions;
• algorithm parameters;
• sample preparation;
• engineering design conditions;
• statistical procedures;
• measurement units;
• data preprocessing methods.

🧠 Corrections to Discussion and Interpretation

Authors may request a correction when the discussion contains an inaccurate explanation, unsupported statement, incorrectly described limitation, or misleading interpretation that does not invalidate the principal findings.

The editorial team may assess whether:

• the corrected interpretation is supported by the available evidence;
• the central conclusions remain reliable;
• the amendment represents a clarification rather than a fundamentally new argument;
• the proposed change substantially alters the article's scholarly contribution.

📌 Corrections to Conclusions

A correction may be considered when limited wording in a conclusion requires clarification while the principal findings remain valid.

If corrected evidence requires a major reversal of the article's conclusions or demonstrates that the publication is fundamentally unreliable, a correction may be insufficient and retraction should be considered.

⚠️ Corrections to Ethical Approvals and Consent Statements

Errors or omissions involving ethical approval, informed consent, institutional permission, participant protection, animal research approval, or regulatory compliance require careful editorial evaluation.

A correction may be appropriate when:

• an approval number was entered incorrectly;
• the correct institution was omitted;
• a valid consent statement was not included during production;
• an existing approval was described inaccurately.

If required ethical approval or consent did not exist, a correction may not be sufficient and stronger editorial action may be necessary.

💰 Corrections to Funding and Conflict of Interest Statements

Incomplete or inaccurate funding, sponsorship, patent, consultancy, employment, or competing-interest declarations may require a formal correction.

The correction may clarify:

• the funding source;
• grant or project information;
• the role of the sponsor;
• relevant financial or professional relationships;
• whether the omission affected research or editorial independence.

🙏 Corrections to Acknowledgements and Contributor Statements

A correction may add, remove, or amend an acknowledgement, contributor role, technical-support credit, institutional recognition, or other contributor statement when the published information is inaccurate or incomplete.

Changes affecting authorship eligibility must be handled under the applicable Authorship Policy rather than being treated solely as an acknowledgement correction.

📎 Corrections to Supplementary Material

Supplementary datasets, files, appendices, code, videos, figures, tables, questionnaires, or technical documentation may require correction when they contain an error or do not correspond accurately with the published article.

Where appropriate, the publisher may replace the affected supplementary file while preserving:

• its relationship with the original article;
• the date of correction;
• a record of what was changed;
• the article DOI and publication metadata;
• access to the correction notice.

🔗 Corrections to DOI, Metadata and Indexing Information

Accurate metadata are essential for article discovery, citation, indexing, author recognition, DOI linking, and long-term preservation of scholarly publications.

Metadata corrections may include:

• author names;
• article title;
• abstract or keywords;
• volume, issue, pages, or article number;
• publication date;
• DOI registration information;
• copyright or licence information;
• funding metadata;
• author affiliations and identifiers.

Where necessary, Global Scholar Publications may submit updated metadata to Crossref, indexing services, repositories, libraries, or other scholarly platforms.

🔍 Editorial Assessment of Correction Requests

Every correction request is evaluated according to the nature, seriousness, evidence, and potential effect of the reported error.

The editorial team or publisher may consider:

• whether an error actually exists;
• whether the issue affects meaning or interpretation;
• whether the original data support the proposed correction;
• whether all authors agree where appropriate;
• whether the findings remain reliable;
• whether misconduct or ethical concerns may be involved;
• whether a correction is sufficient to protect readers and preserve the scholarly record.

📨 Information Requested from Authors

Depending on the nature of the correction, Global Scholar Publications or the relevant journal may request:

• a detailed explanation of the error;
• the corrected text or replacement material;
• original data or source files;
• revised calculations;
• author approval;
• ethical or institutional documentation;
• confirmation regarding the effect on conclusions;
• a proposed correction statement.

👨‍⚖️ Independent Review of Corrections

A correction involving scientific, technical, statistical, ethical, or methodological issues may be reviewed by appropriate experts depending on the circumstances.

Review may involve:

• the handling editor;
• an editorial board member;
• the original peer reviewers where appropriate;
• an independent subject expert;
• a statistician, methodologist, or technical specialist;
• an institutional research-integrity representative where relevant.

Independent review may help determine whether the proposed correction is adequate and whether the article remains reliable.

📢 Reader and Third-Party Correction Requests

Readers, institutions, funders, researchers, or other interested parties may report suspected errors in published articles.

A report should normally include:

• the article title or DOI;
• the exact location of the suspected error;
• a clear explanation of the concern;
• supporting evidence or references;
• contact information where appropriate.

The relevant journal may contact the authors and consult appropriate experts before deciding whether a correction or another post-publication action is required.

📝 Author Agreement and Disagreement

The journal will normally seek the views of all authors when a substantial correction is proposed. However, disagreement among authors does not automatically prevent a correction when available evidence demonstrates that the published record is inaccurate.

Where authors cannot agree, Global Scholar Publications or the relevant journal may:

• request individual author statements;
• consult the relevant institution;
• seek independent expert advice;
• publish a correction explaining the available evidence;
• issue an expression of concern while the matter is investigated;
• take another appropriate action necessary to protect readers.

🔄 Updating the Original Article

Where technically and editorially appropriate, the online version of an article may be updated to reflect an approved correction.

The updated article should, where applicable:

• indicate that it has been corrected;
• display the date of the update;
• link to the formal correction notice;
• preserve the article DOI;
• avoid concealing the original publication history.

🔖 DOI and Citation of Correction Notices

A formal correction notice may receive its own citation information and DOI where appropriate so that it can be indexed, cited, linked, and preserved as part of the scholarly record.

Where a separate correction notice is published, it should link to the original article, and the original article should link back to the correction notice whenever technically possible.

⚠️ Expression of Concern

An Expression of Concern may be issued when serious questions exist regarding an article but the available evidence is incomplete, disputed, or subject to an institutional, regulatory, or legal investigation.

An Expression of Concern may be appropriate when:

• the reliability of an article is uncertain;
• authors provide conflicting explanations;
• important original data are unavailable;
• an institution is investigating possible misconduct;
• a correction cannot yet be confirmed;
• readers should be alerted while an investigation continues.

⛔ When a Correction Is Not Sufficient

A correction is not appropriate when an article's findings are fundamentally unreliable or when serious misconduct affects the publication as a whole.

Retraction may be considered when:

• data were fabricated or falsified;
• major conclusions are invalid;
• substantial plagiarism is confirmed;
• peer review was manipulated;
• research was conducted without essential ethical approval;
• duplicate publication materially affects the scholarly record;
• the article cannot be corrected without replacing its central findings.

Such matters are handled in accordance with the applicable Retraction Policy of Global Scholar Publications and the relevant journal.

🗑️ Exceptional Article Removal

Article removal is considered only in exceptional circumstances, such as serious legal restrictions, significant privacy violations, immediate safety risks, court orders, or content whose continued availability would create substantial and demonstrable harm.

Where possible, a bibliographic record and an appropriate removal notice should remain available so that readers can understand the publication history and the reason for the exceptional action.

📚 Correction of Retracted Articles

A retracted article may still require correction of bibliographic or factual information in the retraction notice or associated metadata. Correcting limited information does not automatically reverse a retraction.

A retraction may only be reconsidered where a formal editorial assessment determines that the original retraction decision was incorrect or that significant new evidence warrants further action.

🏛️ Institutional Findings and Corrections

When a research institution, ethics committee, funder, regulator, or other responsible authority provides findings relevant to a published error or integrity concern, Global Scholar Publications may consider those findings when determining the appropriate post-publication action.

The publisher retains responsibility for the final publication decision affecting the scholarly record of its journals.

📣 Complaints and Appeals

Authors or other affected parties may appeal a correction decision when they believe:

• the reported error was misunderstood;
• important evidence was overlooked;
• the correction wording is inaccurate;
• the editorial action is disproportionate;
• a procedural error affected the decision.

An appeal should provide clear reasons and supporting documentation. Where appropriate, an appeal may be reviewed by an editor or qualified expert who was not involved in the original decision.

🛠️ Enforcement of the Correction Policy

The editorial response to a post-publication issue depends on the nature, seriousness, evidence, and effect of the reported error.

Possible actions include:

• making a minor non-substantive update;
• publishing an author, publisher, or editorial correction;
• updating figures, tables, supplementary files, or metadata;
• requesting additional expert review;
• publishing an Expression of Concern;
• retracting an unreliable article;
• contacting an institution, funder, ethics committee, or responsible authority;
• updating DOI, Crossref, indexing, or other scholarly records where necessary.

🌟 Why the Correction Policy Matters

A clear Correction Policy demonstrates that scholarly publishing does not end when an article is published. Published research remains part of an evolving scholarly record, and responsible publishers must provide mechanisms for identifying, assessing, and correcting genuine errors.

For Global Scholar Publications, correction procedures are particularly important because the journal portfolio covers science, technology, multidisciplinary research, biology, pharmacy, chemistry, life sciences, engineering, medicine, dentistry, and related areas. Published articles may contain datasets, equations, measurements, experimental results, clinical information, technical specifications, algorithms, figures, references, and other information that readers may rely upon.

This Correction Policy helps Global Scholar Publications:

• maintain accurate published research;
• correct errors without erasing publication history;
• protect the integrity of article metadata and DOI records;
• clarify authorship, funding, ethics, and disclosure information;
• update figures, tables, data, references, and supplementary files;
• distinguish correctable errors from unreliable research;
• connect correction notices permanently with affected publications;
• strengthen reader confidence in responsible scholarly communication.

🔗 Related Global Scholar Publications Policies

Authors, reviewers, editors, readers, and institutions are encouraged to review the related editorial and publishing policies of Global Scholar Publications for a complete understanding of publication ethics, peer review, authorship, plagiarism, data integrity, corrections, retractions, withdrawal, and other post-publication matters.

🚀 Publish Accurate and Responsible Research with Global Scholar Publications