Retraction Policy

Olympus Open adheres to a clear and rigorous retraction policy to uphold the integrity of the academic record. This policy addresses issues such as plagiarism, violations of publication ethics, research misconduct, and significant errors that impact the conclusions of a published work. Retractions are carried out in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines.

Purpose of Retraction

The primary purpose of retraction is to correct the scholarly record and ensure its reliability and accuracy. Retractions serve to alert readers to publications containing seriously flawed or erroneous content, where the findings and conclusions cannot be relied upon.

Grounds for Retraction

  • Evidence of plagiarism or breaches of ethical publishing.
  • Discovery of significant inaccuracies or errors that alter the interpretation of the study's results.
  • Evidence of research misconduct, such as data fabrication or falsification.
  • Duplicate publication, where the same study is published in multiple journals.
  • Unethical research practices.

Retraction Procedure

  • Concerns about published articles can be raised by readers, authors, or editors.
  • Upon receipt of a valid concern, the Editorial Team conducts a preliminary investigation.
  • If warranted, a more detailed investigation will be conducted, possibly in consultation with the authors and/or external experts.
  • Decisions to retract are made by the Editorial Team based on the findings of the investigation.
  • A retraction notice will be published, clearly identifying the retracted article, the reason(s) for retraction, and who is retracting the article.

Retraction Notice

A notice of retraction will be linked to the original article and appropriately indexed for visibility. The notice will include:

  • The title and authors of the retracted article.
  • The reason for retraction.
  • The party initiating the retraction.
  • A statement to minimize harm to the affected researchers' reputations if the retraction is due to an honest error.

Transparency and Integrity

Olympus Open is committed to transparency in the retraction process and to maintaining the integrity of the academic record. This policy aims to correct the record promptly and clearly, while respecting the rights and reputations of all parties involved.