CORRECTION AND RETRACTION

KENANGA: Journal of Biological Sciences and Applied Biology is committed to maintaining the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record. The journal recognizes that errors or concerns may occasionally be identified in published articles and is committed to addressing such matters promptly, fairly, and transparently.

This policy establishes the procedures for correcting published articles, issuing expressions of concern, and retracting articles when necessary. It applies to all articles published in KENANGA, including original research articles and review articles.

The policy is guided by recognized publication ethics principles and relevant recommendations from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). It should be read in conjunction with KENANGA’s Publication Ethics, Allegation of Research Misconduct, Conflict of Interest, and Post-Publication Discussion policies.

 

1. General Principles

KENANGA is responsible for preserving the integrity of its published scholarly record. When an error, omission, or ethical concern is identified, the journal will assess the available evidence and determine the most appropriate editorial action.

Editorial decisions concerning corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions will be made objectively and independently, based on the nature and seriousness of the issue and its impact on the reliability of the published work.

The journal will seek clarification from the authors and, where appropriate, consult independent experts, reviewers, editorial board members, or the authors’ affiliated institutions.

All editorial actions will be documented and communicated transparently. Authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond to concerns, provided that doing so does not compromise a necessary investigation or other legitimate ethical obligations.

 

2. Correction of Published Articles

A correction may be issued when an error or omission is identified in a published article but the reliability of its principal findings and conclusions remains intact.

Corrections may address errors in text, figures, tables, author information, affiliations, acknowledgments, funding information, references, or other published content.

The journal distinguishes between the following types of corrections:

2.1. Erratum

An erratum may be issued when an error is introduced during the journal’s editorial, copyediting, typesetting, or production process.

2.2. Corrigendum

A corrigendum may be issued when an author identifies an error or omission originating from the submitted or accepted manuscript.

The distinction between an erratum and a corrigendum may be adjusted according to the nature of the error and the journal’s editorial procedures.

Corrections will be considered when the error requires formal clarification to preserve the accuracy and proper interpretation of the published article.

Each correction notice will:

1. Clearly identify the original article, including its title, author(s), publication details, and DOI, where available.
2. Describe the error or omission.
3. Specify the correction made and provide the corrected information.
4. Explain the reason for the correction where necessary.
5. Be linked to the original article and remain part of the permanent scholarly record.

Corrections will not be used to conceal research misconduct, substantial manipulation of data, or other problems that undermine the reliability of the article.

Where a problem affects the validity of the principal findings or conclusions, the journal will assess whether an expression of concern or retraction is more appropriate.

 

3. Retraction of Published Articles

Retraction is an editorial action intended to correct the scholarly record when a published article is found to be unreliable or its publication is affected by serious ethical violations.

KENANGA may retract an article when there is clear and sufficient evidence that one or more of the following circumstances apply:

1. The findings are unreliable because of a major error in data, calculations, experimental procedures, analysis, or interpretation.
2. The article contains fabricated or falsified data, images, research results, or other material.
3. The article involves plagiarism or substantial unattributed duplication of previously published work.
4. The article has been published redundantly or constitutes an unauthorized duplicate publication that materially compromises the scholarly record.
5. The research was conducted or reported in violation of applicable ethical requirements, and the violation is sufficiently serious to warrant retraction.
6. There is serious manipulation of the publication or peer-review process.
7. The article contains other substantial ethical or scientific problems that make its findings unreliable or render retraction necessary to protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

Retraction will not be imposed automatically whenever an error or allegation is reported. The journal will assess the evidence, the seriousness of the problem, and its implications for the published work before making a decision.

Where possible, the journal will seek relevant information from the authors and other appropriate parties before deciding to retract an article. However, the journal may proceed with appropriate editorial action when sufficient evidence is available, even if an author does not respond or disagrees with the decision.

 

4. Retraction Procedure

When a potential reason for retraction is identified, KENANGA will follow an appropriate and fair editorial procedure.

The procedure may include the following steps:

1. Initial assessment: The Editor-in-Chief or an authorized editor evaluates the reported concern and determines whether further investigation is necessary.
2. Evidence gathering: The journal reviews relevant information, including the published article, supporting data where available, editorial records, and other pertinent documentation.
3. Communication with authors: The corresponding author and, where appropriate, other co-authors are contacted and given an opportunity to provide explanations or supporting evidence.
4. Independent consultation: When necessary, the journal seeks advice from independent experts, reviewers, editorial board members, or the authors’ affiliated institutions.
5. Editorial decision: The Editor-in-Chief or an authorized independent editor determines whether correction, an expression of concern, retraction, or another action is appropriate.
6. Publication of a notice: If retraction is approved, the journal publishes a formal retraction notice explaining the reasons for the decision.
7. Record preservation: The original article will ordinarily remain accessible in the journal’s online archive but will be clearly marked as retracted and linked to the retraction notice.

The journal will endeavor to handle cases promptly while allowing sufficient time for a fair assessment of the evidence.

 

5. Retraction Notice and Article Identification

A retraction notice will be published as a separate, clearly identifiable editorial notice and linked electronically to the original article.

The notice will include, as appropriate:

• The title and authors of the retracted article.
• The original publication details and DOI.
• The reason or reasons for retraction.
• The party initiating the retraction, such as the authors, editor, or journal.
• A distinction between honest error and research misconduct where the available evidence permits such a distinction.
• Relevant information about the editorial process, provided that confidentiality and applicable legal or ethical obligations are respected.

The retraction notice will be written in clear, factual, and impartial language. It will not contain unnecessary personal criticism or unsupported allegations.

A retracted article will not ordinarily be deleted from the journal’s website because maintaining access to the publication record is important for transparency and scholarly accountability.

The article’s online version will be clearly marked as retracted, and the retraction notice will be linked to it. Where technically possible, relevant metadata and DOI records will be updated to indicate the retraction.

 

6. Expression of Concern

KENANGA may publish an Expression of Concern when there are substantial reasons to question the reliability, integrity, or ethical compliance of a published article, but the available evidence is insufficient to make an immediate decision about correction or retraction.

An Expression of Concern may also be appropriate when:

• A formal investigation into the article is ongoing.
• The investigation is likely to take a considerable amount of time.
• Relevant evidence or documentation has not yet been obtained.
• The journal has identified serious unresolved concerns that readers should be made aware of.

The notice will identify the article concerned, explain the nature of the unresolved issue as clearly as possible, and provide relevant information about the status of the matter without prejudging the outcome of an ongoing investigation.

An Expression of Concern will be linked to the original article. When additional evidence becomes available or an investigation is concluded, the journal will review the notice and determine whether it should be updated, replaced with a correction, or followed by retraction.

An Expression of Concern does not itself constitute a finding of research misconduct.

 

7. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their published work is accurate and presented with integrity.

If authors discover a significant error or inaccuracy in their published article, they must promptly notify the journal and cooperate with the editorial team in evaluating and resolving the issue.

Authors are expected to:

1. Provide accurate explanations and relevant supporting data or documentation when requested.
2. Cooperate with reasonable editorial inquiries concerning published work.
3. Inform the journal of any known errors that may affect the interpretation or reliability of the findings.
4. Participate in the correction process when a correction is necessary.
5. Respond to concerns related to the integrity of their published work in a timely and professional manner.

Authors may provide evidence or appeal an editorial decision in accordance with the journal’s applicable procedures. However, disagreement by an author does not, by itself, prevent the journal from issuing a correction, Expression of Concern, or retraction when the available evidence and publication ethics principles warrant such action.

 

8. Responsibilities of Editors and the Journal

The Editor-in-Chief and editorial team are responsible for assessing reported errors and concerns fairly and independently.

The journal will:

1. Evaluate reports of errors or ethical concerns without undue delay.
2. Maintain appropriate confidentiality during the assessment and investigation process.
3. Give authors a reasonable opportunity to respond to concerns.
4. Seek independent expert advice where necessary.
5. Disclose and manage relevant conflicts of interest in accordance with the journal’s Conflict of Interest policy.
6. Publish corrections, Expressions of Concern, or retraction notices when justified by the available evidence.
7. Preserve the integrity, traceability, and transparency of the published scholarly record.

Where an editor has a conflict of interest, the matter will be assigned to an independent editor who can assess the case objectively.

The journal may contact the authors’ affiliated institutions or other appropriate bodies when institutional investigation or additional verification is necessary.

 

9. Relationship with Research Misconduct and Post-Publication Discussion

Reports of potential errors or concerns may arise from authors, readers, reviewers, researchers, institutional representatives, or discussions following publication.

Post-publication comments and scholarly discussions may help identify problems in a published article. However, such comments will be assessed on their merits and will not automatically be treated as proof of error or misconduct.

Allegations involving fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other serious breaches of research integrity will be handled in accordance with KENANGA’s Allegation of Research Misconduct policy.

Correction, retraction, and Expressions of Concern are editorial actions intended to protect the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record. They do not, by themselves, establish institutional or legal responsibility for misconduct.

 

10. Appeals and Final Decisions

Authors may submit a reasoned appeal against a correction or retraction decision if they can provide relevant evidence, identify a procedural concern, or demonstrate that material information was not adequately considered.

Appeals will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or an independent editor who was not directly involved in the original decision, where practicable.

The journal may uphold, reconsider, or revise its decision based on the additional information and applicable publication ethics principles.

The journal’s priority is to maintain an accurate and reliable scholarly record. Editorial actions will therefore be based on the available evidence and the seriousness of the issue rather than solely on the preferences or objections of the authors.

 

11. Policy Review

KENANGA may review and update this policy when necessary to reflect developments in publication ethics, recognized best practices, and the journal’s editorial procedures.

This policy should be read together with KENANGA’s Publication Ethics, Allegation of Research Misconduct, Conflict of Interest, and Post-Publication Discussion policies.

KENANGA is committed to handling corrections and retractions responsibly, transparently, and fairly to preserve trust in the scientific literature and uphold the integrity of biological and applied biological research.