Publication Ethics
Corrections, retractions, and the version of record
The published record is corrected in the open. Nothing is silently edited after publication.
Notice types
| Notice | Used when | Effect on the article |
|---|---|---|
| Correction | An error affects a specific claim, figure, number, or attribution, but not the conclusions. | The article stays. A dated correction notice is linked from it and is separately citable. |
| Expression of concern | A credible integrity concern is raised and the investigation is unfinished. | The article stays, flagged, until the investigation concludes. |
| Retraction | The findings are unreliable, whether through error or misconduct, or the work breaches research ethics. | The article remains online, watermarked as retracted, with a signed notice giving the reason. It is not deleted. |
| Withdrawal | A manuscript is removed before publication, at author or editor initiative. | No public article exists. The editorial record is retained internally. |
| Version update | A published article is corrected substantively enough to warrant a new version. | Both versions remain citable; the citation carries the version label. |
Raising a concern
Write to editorial@qcaij.com naming the article and the specific problem, with evidence. Concerns are assessed by the Editor-in-Chief, who may consult the editorial board and, where the concern touches an institution, that institution. Authors are given the opportunity to respond before any notice is published.
Anonymous concerns are considered on the evidence they carry.
Persistence
A published article is never removed from the record without a legal obligation. Retracted articles stay available so the literature citing them remains checkable. See archiving and preservation.