Correction and Retraction

Indonesia Journal of Electrical Engineering and Renewable Energy (IJEERE) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, reliability, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record. The journal recognizes that errors, omissions, or concerns regarding the validity and ethical integrity of published community service articles may be identified after publication.

This policy establishes the principles and procedures for corrections, addenda, expressions of concern, retractions, and exceptional article removal. It is informed by the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and applies to all articles published in IJEERE.

1. Principles of Correction and Retraction

IJEERE implements post-publication editorial actions based on transparency, fairness, accountability, editorial independence, and the preservation of scholarly integrity.

Editorial actions are determined by the nature and severity of identified errors or ethical concerns and their implications for the reliability of published findings.

The primary purpose of corrections and retractions is to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record rather than to impose disciplinary sanctions on authors.

2. Types of Post-Publication Editorial Actions

IJEERE recognizes the following editorial actions:

1. Correction: A formal notice addressing errors or omissions in a published article when its principal findings and conclusions remain reliable.

2. Addendum: A supplementary notice providing important additional information or clarification without replacing the original findings.

3. Expression of Concern: A public editorial notice indicating serious unresolved questions regarding the accuracy, reliability, or ethical integrity of a published article.

4. Retraction: A formal notice indicating that the findings, conclusions, or other essential content of a published article are substantially unreliable or affected by serious publication ethics violations.

5. Article Removal: An exceptional action involving the removal or restriction of published content when necessary to comply with legal requirements, protect confidential information, or prevent serious harm.

3. Corrections to Published Articles

IJEERE may issue a correction when errors are identified after publication but do not invalidate the main findings or conclusions.

Corrections may concern:

1. Incorrect numerical data, percentages, or evaluation results.

2. Errors in tables, figures, photographs, or program documentation.

3. Inaccurate descriptions of community service methods or implementation procedures.

4. Incorrect author names, affiliations, or other publication metadata.

5. Omissions or reporting errors that require clarification.

Corrections may be initiated by authors, editors, reviewers, readers, or other concerned parties.

A formal correction notice must identify the original article, explain the error, provide the corrected information, and clarify whether the correction affects the interpretation of the findings.

Substantive corrections must be publicly documented and linked to the original article.

4. Expressions of Concern

IJEERE may issue an expression of concern when credible and serious questions arise regarding a published article, but available evidence is insufficient to justify an immediate correction or retraction.

Such concerns may involve:

1. Questions regarding the authenticity of community service activities.

2. Unverified participant data or evaluation findings.

3. Suspected manipulation of photographs or supporting documentation.

4. Possible violations of publication ethics.

5. Ongoing investigations concerning the reliability of reported outcomes.

An expression of concern must clearly describe the unresolved issues without prematurely determining misconduct.

The journal may update the notice when additional evidence becomes available.

5. Grounds for Retraction

Retraction may be considered when a published article contains substantially unreliable findings or serious research and publication integrity violations.

Grounds for retraction may include:

1. Data Fabrication or Falsification: Inventing or manipulating participant data, community service activities, evaluation results, or reported program outcomes.

2. Plagiarism: Substantial unauthorized use of previously published text, ideas, data, or other scholarly materials.

3. Duplicate Publication: Publishing substantially identical content without appropriate disclosure or justification.

4. Misrepresentation of Community Engagement: Reporting community service activities, partners, participants, or interventions that did not occur as described.

5. Serious Methodological or Analytical Errors: Errors that substantially undermine the validity of the reported outcomes or conclusions.

6. Unethical Research or Community Engagement Practices: Serious violations involving informed consent, participant privacy, institutional permissions, or other applicable ethical requirements.

7. Manipulation of Supporting Evidence: Deliberate alteration or fabrication of photographs, questionnaires, assessment results, or other documentation.

8. Compromised Editorial or Peer-Review Process: Serious manipulation that undermines confidence in the publication.

Retraction may be appropriate when substantial unreliability results from honest error as well as from misconduct.

Minor errors that do not invalidate the main findings will generally be addressed through correction rather than retraction.

6. Retraction Procedures

When a potential reason for retraction is identified, the Editor-in-Chief or designated editor will conduct an initial assessment of the available evidence.

The procedure may include:

1. Receiving and documenting the allegation or identified concern.

2. Reviewing the published article and supporting evidence.

3. Contacting the corresponding author for clarification.

4. Providing the authors with a reasonable opportunity to respond.

5. Requesting original data, community service documentation, evaluation instruments, or other relevant materials when necessary.

6. Consulting independent experts or the authors' affiliated institutions when appropriate.

7. Determining the appropriate editorial action based on the available evidence and applicable publication ethics principles.

The final editorial decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately designated independent editor when a conflict of interest exists.

A retraction may proceed without unanimous author agreement when sufficiently reliable evidence establishes that the article meets the criteria for retraction.

7. Publication of Correction and Retraction Notices

All formal correction, expression of concern, and retraction notices must be clearly identified, publicly accessible, and associated with the original published article.

A correction notice should identify the error and provide accurate replacement information.

A retraction notice should include:

1. The title and bibliographic information of the affected article.

2. The DOI or permanent URL of the original article.

3. A clear explanation of the reason for retraction.

4. Identification of the party issuing the retraction.

5. The date of the retraction notice.

Retracted articles will ordinarily remain accessible in the journal's archives but must be clearly marked as RETRACTED.

Where technically feasible, the journal will establish links between the original article and the retraction notice and update the relevant publication metadata.

Published articles must not be silently deleted or replaced to conceal errors or publication ethics concerns.

8. Preservation of the Scholarly Record

IJEERE is committed to preserving the publication history of scholarly articles.

Corrections and retractions must be documented transparently so that readers can understand the nature of the editorial action and the status of the affected publication.

Where an article file requires modification, substantive changes must be clearly disclosed.

Relevant editorial notices and article metadata will be maintained within the journal's publishing system in accordance with applicable digital preservation procedures.

9. Exceptional Article Removal

Article removal is considered only in exceptional circumstances, such as when continued public availability would violate legal requirements, disclose highly sensitive personal information, or create serious risks that cannot be adequately addressed through correction or retraction.

Where legally permissible, the journal will retain bibliographic information and publish an explanatory notice indicating that the content has been removed.

Article removal must not be used to conceal scientific errors or evidence of publication misconduct.

10. Reporting Errors and Requests for Corrective Action

Authors, readers, reviewers, community partners, research institutions, and other concerned parties may report significant errors or publication ethics concerns through the journal's official editorial contact channels.

Reports should include:

1. The title and DOI or URL of the published article.

2. A description of the identified error or concern.

3. Supporting evidence or relevant documentation, where available.

4. The name and contact information of the reporting party.

Authors who discover significant errors in their published articles are responsible for promptly informing the editorial office and cooperating with appropriate corrective procedures.

11. Editorial Responsibility and Appeals

The Editor-in-Chief and designated editorial team are responsible for evaluating requests for correction or retraction and determining appropriate editorial actions.

All cases will be handled fairly, impartially, and with appropriate confidentiality.

Authors may request reconsideration of an editorial decision when substantial new evidence becomes available or when a significant procedural error may have affected the original decision.

The editorial team may consult independent experts or relevant institutions when necessary.

12. Commitment to Publication Integrity

IJEERE is committed to maintaining trustworthy scholarly publications and ensuring that significant errors or ethical concerns are addressed transparently.

This policy complements the journal's Publication Ethics, Plagiarism Policy, Allegations of Research Misconduct Policy, and Post-Publication Discussion Policy.