Corrections, Retractions & Expressions of Concern Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

 

The Herald of Advanced Information Technology (HAIT) is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. This policy outlines procedures for correcting, retracting, or flagging published content in accordance with COPE Core Practices and international publishing standards.

2. Corrections (Errata and Corrigenda)

 

Corrections are issued when errors are identified that do not invalidate the overall findings of the published article.

  • Erratum – correction of errors introduced by the publisher;
  • Corrigendum – correction of errors introduced by the authors.

Corrected articles remain part of the permanent scholarly record, with clear indication of changes.

3. Retractions

 

Retractions are issued when a published article is found to be seriously flawed or unethical, rendering its findings unreliable.

Articles may be retracted in cases of:

  • Data fabrication or falsification;
  • Plagiarism or redundant publication;
  • Serious methodological errors affecting validity;
  • Unethical research practices;
  • Violation of publication ethics or legal requirements.

Retraction notices are clearly linked to the original article and remain publicly accessible. The original article is not removed but is marked as “Retracted”.

4. Expressions of Concern

 

An Expression of Concern may be issued when serious concerns arise regarding a published article, but conclusive evidence is not yet available.

This may occur when:

  • An investigation is ongoing;
  • Institutional review is pending;
  • Evidence is inconclusive but significant concerns exist.

Expressions of Concern are temporary notices and may later result in correction or retraction.

5. Transparency and Integrity

 

All post-publication updates are handled transparently and are permanently linked to the original publication to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

6. Editorial Responsibility

 

Decisions regarding corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern are made by the Editor-in-Chief in accordance with COPE guidelines and, where necessary, in consultation with independent experts.