Correction and Retraction

The Journal of Religion, Local Politics, and Law is committed to maintaining the integrity and completeness of the scholarly record. We recognize the responsibility to correct errors and, when necessary, retract published articles in a transparent and timely manner, following best practices and COPE guidelines.

1. Corrections (Errata and Corrigenda)

Corrections are issued to address errors that do not invalidate the article's overall conclusions.

  • Erratum: Published for publisher-introduced errors (e.g., typesetting mistakes, formatting errors, corrupted files during production).

  • Corrigendum: Published for author-introduced errors (e.g., minor errors in data, mislabeling, omissions in the acknowledgment or funding section, incorrect citations).

Procedure:

  1. Errors may be identified by the authors, readers, or editors.

  2. The Editorial Office assesses the significance of the error.

  3. A decision to publish a correction is made by the Editor-in-Chief.

  4. The correction notice is published as a separate, citable item with a direct link to the original article.

  5. The original article is updated with a prominent link to the published correction.

2. Retractions

Retractions are issued to remove seriously flawed or unethical content from the literature. Grounds for retraction include, but are not limited to:

  • Clear evidence of unreliable findings due to major error (e.g., miscalculation, experimental error).

  • Research misconduct (e.g., data fabrication, image manipulation, plagiarism).

  • Redundant or overlapping publication without proper attribution or permission.

  • Unethical research (e.g., without required ethical approval or consent).

  • Legal issues (e.g., defamation, copyright infringement).

  • Fake peer review.

Procedure:

  1. Allegations are investigated thoroughly and confidentially by the Editor-in-Chief, often in consultation with the Editorial Board and the authors' institution.

  2. The corresponding author is given the opportunity to respond.

  3. If retraction is warranted, a formal Retraction Notice is published. This notice:

    • Is clearly labeled as a retraction.

    • States the reason for retraction in a factual manner.

    • Identifies the retracted article by its title and authors.

    • Is linked bidirectionally to the original article.

  4. The original article remains online in its published form but is watermarked "RETRACTED" on every page, and its PDF is replaced with the watermarked version.

3. Expressions of Concern

In complex situations where an investigation is inconclusive or will be prolonged, the journal may issue an Expression of Concern. This notice alerts readers to ongoing concerns about the integrity of a published article while a final investigation is pending. It will be linked to the article in question.

4. Appeals

Authors may appeal a correction or retraction decision by submitting a formal letter with supporting evidence to the Editorial Office. The appeal will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and, if necessary, an independent adjudicator from the Editorial Board.

Our Goal: This policy ensures transparency, corrects the scholarly record responsibly, and clearly communicates the status of published content to the academic community.