Correction and Retraction Policy

RATS (eISSN: 2980-3063) adheres to the principles of integrity, transparency, and accountability in academic publishing. In accordance with best practices outlined by COPE and the CSIC Good Practice Guide for Scientific-Academic Publishing, the journal implements the following policy for corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern:

  1. Grounds for Retraction

The Editorial Team reserves the right to retract published articles if:

  • They are found to be scientifically unreliable due to unintentional error (e.g., miscalculations or experimental mistakes), or
  • There is evidence of research misconduct such as:
    • Data fabrication or falsification
    • Plagiarism or self-plagiarism
    • Redundant or duplicate publication
    • Omission of key references or sources
    • Unauthorized or unjustified use of third-party content

Retractions aim to correct the scholarly record and uphold the credibility of academic literature.

  1. Retraction Process
  • When a concern is raised (by editors, reviewers, readers, or institutions), the editorial board will initiate an investigation.
  • The authors will be contacted to provide an explanation and supporting evidence.
  • If misconduct or significant error is confirmed, the article will be retracted.
  • In cases of duplicate publication, the submission and acceptance dates of both journals will be examined to determine which version should be retracted.
  1. Expressions of Concern

If an investigation is pending or inconclusive but serious ethical doubts remain, the journal may issue an Expression of Concern. This notice will:

  • Be publicly available and clearly linked to the original article
  • Indicate the nature of the concern
  • Be withdrawn or replaced by a formal retraction once a final decision is reached
  1. Corrections and Errata

If a minor error is discovered that does not affect the overall reliability of the article:

  • A Correction (erratum or corrigendum) will be issued
  • The correction will be published promptly and linked to the original article
  1. Retraction Notice and Visibility
  • Retraction notices will be published in both online and print editions of the journal
  • They will clearly state the reason for retraction, distinguishing between honest error and misconduct
  • Retracted articles will remain accessible in the online archive but will be clearly labeled as “Retracted”
  • In the print version, retractions will appear as editorial notes using the same wording
  1. Notification and Institutional Involvement

In cases involving confirmed research misconduct, the journal will notify the corresponding author’s institution and any relevant funding bodies.

  1. Author-Initiated Corrections

Authors who discover a significant error or flaw in their published work must notify the editorial team immediately to initiate a correction, retraction, or withdrawal process. If the editorial team identifies the issue, the authors will be asked to demonstrate the accuracy of their work.