Correction, Retraction, and Withdrawal Policy

Unram Journal of Community Service (UJCS) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, reliability, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record.

The journal follows the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in addressing corrections, retractions, withdrawals, and other post-publication concerns.

1. Correction Policy

Corrections may be issued when errors are identified in published articles that do not substantially invalidate the main findings or conclusions.

Corrections may include:

  • Errors in author names or affiliations.

  • Incorrect figures, tables, photographs, or references.

  • Inaccuracies in program descriptions or participant information.

  • Minor errors in evaluation data or reported outcomes.

  • Other factual or editorial errors requiring clarification.

A correction notice will clearly identify the original article, describe the error, and explain the correction.

The original article and correction notice will be linked where technically possible.

2. Retraction Policy

A published article may be retracted when reliable evidence demonstrates serious problems affecting its integrity or validity.

Grounds for retraction may include:

  1. Fabrication or falsification of community service data.

  2. Plagiarism or substantial duplicate publication.

  3. Misrepresentation of program implementation or outcomes.

  4. Serious methodological errors invalidating the findings.

  5. Unethical treatment of community participants.

  6. Unauthorized disclosure of confidential information.

  7. Manipulation of authorship or peer review.

  8. Other serious violations of publication ethics.

Retraction notices will explain the reasons for retraction and clearly identify the affected article.

Retracted articles will ordinarily remain publicly accessible with clear retraction labeling to preserve the scholarly record.

3. Withdrawal Policy

Authors may request withdrawal of a manuscript before publication by submitting a formal written request to the Editorial Office.

The request must include the manuscript title, submission identification, reasons for withdrawal, and confirmation from all authors.

The Editorial Board will evaluate the request according to the manuscript's editorial status and relevant circumstances.

Published articles cannot ordinarily be withdrawn simply at the author's request. Corrections or retractions will be considered when justified.

4. Expression of Concern

The Editorial Board may publish an Expression of Concern when substantial questions regarding a published article's reliability or integrity remain unresolved.

An Expression of Concern may be updated following the completion of an investigation.

5. Article Removal

Complete removal of published content will be considered only in exceptional circumstances, including legal requirements, serious privacy violations, or substantial risks to individuals or communities.

Where possible, bibliographic information and an explanatory notice will remain accessible.

6. Editorial Responsibility

All decisions regarding corrections, retractions, withdrawals, and Expressions of Concern are made by the Editorial Board based on available evidence, recognized publication ethics principles, and the need to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.