Corrections and Retractions Policy

Journal: Joining and Corrosion Protection (JCP)

Policy Version: 1.0

Effective Date: June 2026

1. Purpose

Joining and Corrosion Protection (JCP) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the scholarly record.

When errors, ethical concerns, or research integrity issues are identified in published articles, the journal will take appropriate action in accordance with recognized publication ethics principles, including guidance issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Post-publication actions may include:

• Corrections
• Expressions of Concern
• Retractions
• Article Removal (in exceptional circumstances)

2. Corrections

2.1 When a Correction Is Appropriate

A correction may be issued when an error is identified that does not invalidate the overall findings or conclusions of the article.

Examples include:

• typographical errors;
• author name or affiliation errors;
• incorrect funding information;
• errors in figures or tables that do not affect conclusions;
• incorrect references;
• minor numerical mistakes.

2.2 Correction Process

When a potential error is reported:

1. The Editorial Office evaluates the issue.
2. Authors may be contacted for clarification.
3. The Editor-in-Chief or Deputy Editor determines whether a correction is required.
4. A Correction Notice is published and linked to the original article.

The original article may be updated to indicate that a correction has been issued.

3. Expressions of Concern

3.1 Purpose

An Expression of Concern may be published when serious concerns have been raised regarding a published article but sufficient evidence is not yet available to support a correction or retraction.

The purpose of an Expression of Concern is to inform readers that questions regarding the reliability or integrity of the article remain under investigation.

3.2 Examples

An Expression of Concern may be issued when:

• allegations of research misconduct are under investigation;
• concerns regarding data integrity have been raised;
• image manipulation is suspected but not yet confirmed;
• institutional investigations are ongoing;
• authors fail to respond to serious editorial inquiries.

3.3 Outcome

Once an investigation is completed, the Expression of Concern may be:

• removed;
• replaced by a Correction;
• replaced by a Retraction.

4. Retractions

4.1 Purpose

A Retraction is issued when the findings of a published article are determined to be unreliable or when serious breaches of publication ethics have occurred.

Retractions are intended to correct the scholarly record and protect readers from unreliable information.

Retraction is not considered a punishment but a mechanism for maintaining research integrity.

4.2 Grounds for Retraction

A retraction may be issued in cases including, but not limited to:

Research Misconduct

• fabrication of data;
• falsification of data;
• image manipulation;
• plagiarism.

Publication Ethics Violations

• duplicate publication;
• redundant publication;
• undisclosed authorship manipulation;
• serious conflicts of interest not disclosed during submission.

Compromised Editorial Process

• fraudulent peer review;
• reviewer identity manipulation;
• paper mill activity;
• systematic attempts to circumvent editorial procedures.

Major Errors

• honest errors that invalidate the main conclusions of the article;
• significant methodological flaws discovered after publication.

4.3 Retraction Procedure

The journal will:

1. Conduct an initial assessment of the concern.
2. Contact the corresponding author and, where appropriate, all co-authors.
3. Request supporting information or explanations.
4. Seek expert advice where necessary.
5. Evaluate available evidence.
6. Make a final editorial decision.

The Editor-in-Chief retains final responsibility for retraction decisions.

4.4 Retraction Notice

When an article is retracted:

• a formal Retraction Notice will be published;
• the notice will explain the reason for retraction;
• the notice will remain permanently available;
• the original article will remain accessible whenever possible;
• the article will be clearly identified as retracted.

The journal will distinguish between:

• honest error;
• research misconduct;
• editorial or publisher error.

where relevant.

5. Article Removal

5.1 Exceptional Circumstances

In rare circumstances, an article may be removed from the journal website when legal, ethical, or safety considerations make continued public availability inappropriate.

Examples may include:

• legal orders;
• copyright infringement;
• privacy violations;
• defamatory content;
• significant risks to public safety.

5.2 Preservation of the Scholarly Record

Where removal occurs, the journal will normally retain:

• article metadata;
• title;
• authorship information;
• DOI information.

A public notice explaining the reason for removal will be provided whenever possible.

6. Investigations

The journal may investigate concerns relating to:

• plagiarism;
• duplicate publication;
• authorship disputes;
• image integrity;
• data reliability;
• peer review manipulation;
• other forms of publication misconduct.

The journal may request:

• raw data;
• original images;
• ethics documentation;
• funding information;
• institutional clarification.

Authors are expected to cooperate fully with such investigations.

7. Appeals

Authors may appeal decisions concerning:

• corrections;
• expressions of concern;
• retractions.

Appeals must be submitted in writing and should provide supporting evidence.

The Editor-in-Chief will review the appeal and may seek additional independent advice where appropriate.

The final decision of the journal is binding.

8. Notification and Record Maintenance

Where applicable, the journal may update relevant publication records and metadata to ensure that corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, or removals are clearly reflected in the scholarly record.

9. Relationship to Other Policies

This policy should be read together with:

• Publication Ethics Policy
• Peer Review Policy
• AI Policy
• Conflict of Interest Policy
• Data Availability Policy

10. Contact

Questions regarding post-publication corrections, investigations, or retractions may be directed to:

Editorial Office
Joining and Corrosion Protection (JCP)
Email: jcp@sunlitpub.com