The Journal of Keloid Research is committed to maintaining the accuracy, integrity, and reliability of the scientific record. When concerns or errors are identified in published material, the Journal will take appropriate action in accordance with recognized standards of publication ethics, including guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Corrections
A correction may be issued when an error is identified in a published article that does not invalidate the principal findings or conclusions of the work.
Corrections will clearly identify the original article, describe the error, and provide the corrected information. The correction will be linked to the original publication whenever possible.
Minor typographical or formatting errors that do not affect the scientific meaning of an article may be corrected without a formal correction notice at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief.
Retractions
An article may be retracted when there is evidence that its findings or conclusions are unreliable as a result of significant error, fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, unethical research practices, duplicate publication, or other serious violations of scientific or publication ethics.
Before issuing a retraction, the Journal will review the available evidence and, when appropriate, provide the authors with an opportunity to respond. The Journal may also contact the authors’ institution, ethics committee, or other appropriate authority when further investigation is warranted.
A retraction notice will identify the article and explain the reason for the retraction. The original article will remain part of the published scientific record but will be clearly identified as retracted.
Editorial Expressions of Concern
The Journal may publish an Editorial Expression of Concern when serious questions have been raised regarding a published article but the available information is insufficient to determine whether a correction or retraction is warranted.
An Expression of Concern may be appropriate when an investigation is ongoing, when an author’s institution or another responsible authority has been asked to investigate, or when obtaining a definitive resolution is expected to require substantial time.
The notice will be linked to the article and will describe the nature of the concern to the extent appropriate.
Review and Decision-Making Process
Concerns regarding published articles may be brought to the Journal’s attention by authors, readers, reviewers, editors, institutions, or other parties.
The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with appropriate members of the Editorial Board and independent experts when necessary, will review the matter. Editors with a conflict of interest will not participate in the investigation or decision.
The Journal will seek relevant information from the authors and may request original data, ethics approvals, informed-consent documentation, study protocols, or other materials necessary to evaluate the concern.
Decisions regarding corrections, retractions, or Expressions of Concern will be based on the available evidence and the need to preserve the integrity of the scientific record.
Transparency and Permanence
Corrections, retractions, and Expressions of Concern will be clearly identified, dated, and linked to the affected publication whenever technically possible.
The Journal of Keloid Research will not ordinarily remove an article from the published record. Removal will be considered only in exceptional circumstances, such as when continued publication presents significant legal concerns, violates patient privacy, or poses a substantial risk of harm.
The Journal’s primary objective in all such actions is to ensure that readers have access to an accurate, transparent, and trustworthy scientific record.
