CORRECTIONS AND RETRACTIONS

Policy Statement

TRANSFORMA: Journal of Community Innovation and Transformation is committed to preserving the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of the scholarly record.

When errors or ethical concerns are identified in submitted or published articles, the journal will take appropriate editorial action in a transparent, timely, and proportionate manner.

Editorial decisions are made with the primary objective of maintaining the integrity of the scientific record while ensuring fairness to all parties involved.

Corrections

A correction may be published when an article contains errors that do not invalidate the overall findings, conclusions, or integrity of the work.

Examples include:

  • Typographical errors affecting interpretation.
  • Errors in author affiliations.
  • Incorrect funding information.
  • Minor mistakes in figures or tables.
  • Incorrect references.
  • Other factual inaccuracies that do not compromise the validity of the article.

Corrections will be clearly linked to the original article to ensure transparency and maintain the continuity of the scholarly record.

Retractions

An article may be retracted when there is clear evidence that its findings or publication are unreliable due to serious ethical or scientific concerns.

Reasons for retraction may include, but are not limited to:

  • Plagiarism.
  • Data fabrication or falsification.
  • Duplicate publication.
  • Serious methodological errors that invalidate the conclusions.
  • Manipulation of the peer-review process.
  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest that materially affect the publication.
  • Unethical research or community service practices.
  • Legal or copyright violations.

Whenever possible, the Editorial Board will seek clarification from the corresponding author before making a final decision.

A retracted article will remain available on the journal website to preserve the scholarly record but will be clearly identified as Retracted.

Article Withdrawal

Article withdrawal applies primarily to manuscripts that have been accepted but have not yet been formally published, or to articles requiring removal immediately after online publication due to exceptional circumstances.

Withdrawal may occur when:

  • The manuscript was submitted accidentally.
  • Serious editorial or production errors are identified before publication.
  • Duplicate submission is confirmed before publication.
  • Legal restrictions require withdrawal.
  • Ethical concerns are identified before the publication process is completed.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to determine whether withdrawal is appropriate based on the available evidence.

Expression of Concern

When an investigation into alleged misconduct is ongoing and conclusive evidence is not yet available, the Editorial Board may publish an Expression of Concern to inform readers that questions have been raised regarding the reliability or integrity of the article.

The notice will remain in place until the investigation is concluded, after which it may be replaced by a correction, retraction, or other appropriate editorial action.

Investigation Procedure

Before issuing any correction, withdrawal, or retraction, the Editorial Board will:

  1. Review all available evidence.
  2. Contact the corresponding author for clarification.
  3. Request additional supporting information when necessary.
  4. Consult reviewers, editorial board members, or independent experts if appropriate.
  5. Reach a fair and evidence-based editorial decision.

All investigations will be conducted confidentially and objectively.

Transparency

All editorial notices, including corrections, retractions, withdrawals, and expressions of concern, will be clearly identified, permanently linked to the original article where applicable, and remain publicly accessible as part of the scholarly record.

The journal will never remove published content solely to conceal editorial mistakes or publication misconduct.

Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions concerning corrections, withdrawals, or retractions by submitting a written explanation together with supporting evidence.

Appeals will be reviewed independently by the Editorial Board.

The final decision of the Editor-in-Chief shall be binding.

Commitment to Publication Integrity

TRANSFORMA is committed to correcting the scholarly record whenever necessary and ensuring that all editorial actions are carried out fairly, transparently, consistently, and in accordance with internationally accepted principles of responsible scholarly publishing.