Once an article has been published, it becomes part of the scholarly record. International Center for Promoting Knowledge (ICPK) and its journals therefore preserve that record by correcting it transparently rather than quietly replacing, rewriting, or deleting published work.

The original article will never be silently edited or removed. Any substantive post-publication change will be explained through a permanent, linked, and citable notice. The notice will be connected to the article so that a reader who encounters the original record can also find the amendment and understand what changed, why it changed, and how the article’s status should be interpreted.

Scope and editorial responsibility

This corrections and retractions policy applies to articles published by journals under ICPK. ICPK provides the publishing infrastructure, policy framework, and administrative support. Decisions to issue a correction, expression of concern, or retraction rest with the relevant journal’s Editor-in-Chief and editorial board. ICPK does not review manuscripts or participate in accept-or-reject decisions.

Post-publication action is selected according to the seriousness and evidential status of the issue. Each notice will identify the article and remain accessible as part of the scholarly record.

Correction

A correction is appropriate when a published error affects the accuracy or clarity of the record but does not make the article’s findings unreliable. Examples may include:

• an error in an author’s name or affiliation;
• a mislabelled figure, table, caption, or data field;
• an incorrect or incomplete reference; or
• another factual or production error that readers need to understand correctly.

The correction notice will state what was incorrect and provide the corrected information. It will be linked in both directions with the article and will be independently identifiable and citable. Minor typographical issues that do not affect meaning or integrity may not require a formal notice. A problem that substantially changes the reliability of the findings may instead require retraction.

Expression of concern

An expression of concern alerts readers to a credible, potentially serious issue that has not yet been resolved. It may be issued while an institutional investigation is ongoing, when relevant evidence cannot yet be obtained, or when the evidence available to the journal is inconclusive.

An expression of concern does not pre-judge the outcome. It records the unresolved concern so readers can assess the article with appropriate caution. The notice will explain its basis to the extent possible without compromising a legitimate investigation.

Once the matter is resolved, the expression of concern will be replaced or withdrawn as appropriate. The journal may then issue a correction, retraction, or resolution notice. The publication history will remain transparent so readers can understand the sequence of actions.

Retraction

A retraction is appropriate when the findings are unreliable or when the article should not have been published. Grounds may include:

• a substantial error that invalidates the findings;
• fabrication or falsification;
• plagiarism;
• redundant or duplicate publication; or
• an unresolved ethical problem that materially affects the legitimacy or reliability of the work.

Retraction does not erase the article. The article will remain online with its original text intact. Its article page will be clearly marked as retracted, and the PDF will also be marked so that its status remains visible if the file is downloaded or shared separately.

A permanent retraction notice will be linked to the article. It will state who requested the retraction and explain the reason with sufficient detail to distinguish the nature of the problem. It will avoid unsupported statements and separate established findings from unresolved allegations.

Retraction addresses the reliability and status of published work, not the character of its authors. Notices will use objective, proportionate language.

Questions involving possible fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other misconduct are also governed by the Research Integrity & Misconduct policy.

Withdrawal before publication

Withdrawal is distinct from correction or retraction. An accepted manuscript that has not yet been published may be withdrawn without a public notice.

Once a DOI has been assigned, the work has entered the permanent publication record. It will not be treated as an unpublished manuscript or removed through a private withdrawal. Any necessary action must instead use a correction, expression of concern, or retraction, as applicable.

Requesting a correction or other post-publication review

Authors, readers, reviewers, institutions, and other concerned parties may report a possible error or integrity issue to the editorial office of the journal that published the article. For IJSPE, contact editor@ijspe.com.

A request should include:

• the article title and DOI;
• a precise description of the suspected error or concern;
• the relevant location in the article; and
• supporting information or documentation, where available.

The editorial office may seek information from the authors or relevant institutions before the Editor-in-Chief and editorial board determine the appropriate action. A request for a correction does not itself establish that the published record is wrong.

Concerns about how a matter was handled, or an appeal against an editorial decision concerning a notice, should be raised under the Complaints & Appeals policy.

DOI registration, linking, and preservation

Corrections, expressions of concern, and retraction notices are registered against the affected article’s DOI record. This relationship allows the updated status to travel with the article through DOI metadata wherever the record is encountered.

Each notice forms part of the permanent publication history and remains freely accessible. The article, its notice, and the links between them are maintained in accordance with ICPK’s Preservation & DOI policy.