Retraction and Correction

CETHE: Journal of Creative Economics and Trading Halal Ecosystem is committed to maintaining the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record. The journal follows recognized publication-ethics principles and the best practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in handling article corrections, retractions, and withdrawals.

Corrections, retractions, and withdrawals are applied according to the nature and severity of the issue identified and are intended to maintain the reliability of the academic record while ensuring fairness to authors, readers, reviewers, and other stakeholders.

1. Article Retraction

Retraction applies to an article that has already been published when substantial problems are identified that seriously affect the reliability, validity, or integrity of the published work.

An article may be considered for retraction when there is evidence of:

  • plagiarism or substantial unattributed duplication;

  • fabrication or falsification of research data;

  • serious manipulation of research results;

  • duplicate or redundant publication;

  • major methodological errors that invalidate the principal findings or conclusions;

  • unethical research practices;

  • serious violations of research-participant rights or research ethics;

  • fraudulent or unreliable authorship information;

  • significant undisclosed conflicts of interest that materially affect the research;

  • serious manipulation or fabrication of citations;

  • substantial undisclosed use of AI that compromises research integrity; or

  • other forms of misconduct that materially undermine the reliability of the published article.

Retraction does not necessarily imply misconduct by every author. The specific reason and scope of the retraction will be stated transparently in the retraction notice.

Retraction Procedure

When a potential reason for retraction is identified, the editorial team may:

  1. assess the concern and available evidence;

  2. contact the corresponding author for clarification;

  3. request relevant supporting information or documentation;

  4. consult reviewers, editors, institutional authorities, or other appropriate parties where necessary;

  5. evaluate the matter in accordance with applicable publication-ethics principles; and

  6. make a final editorial decision based on the available evidence.

If retraction is warranted:

  • a Retraction Notice will be published;

  • the notice will clearly state the reason for retraction;

  • the notice will be permanently linked to the original article;

  • the original article will remain accessible where technically and ethically appropriate;

  • the article will be clearly marked “RETRACTED”; and

  • bibliographic and DOI information will remain part of the scholarly record.

The journal will not remove a retracted article from the scholarly record unless removal is required by law or exceptional circumstances.

2. Article Correction

A correction may be issued when an error is identified in a published article but the error does not invalidate the overall findings, conclusions, or scholarly contribution of the article.

Corrections may include errors involving:

  • author names or affiliations;

  • funding information;

  • acknowledgments;

  • tables or figures;

  • typographical or factual information;

  • references or citation details;

  • minor methodological descriptions; or

  • other errors that can be corrected without invalidating the article as a whole.

A correction notice will describe the error and the corresponding correction. The corrected information will be linked to the original article to maintain transparency and traceability.

3. Erratum

An Erratum may be issued when an error is introduced during the publication or production process by the journal or publisher.

Examples may include:

  • formatting errors;

  • incorrect page information;

  • typographical errors introduced during production;

  • incorrect figure or table placement;

  • errors in metadata; or

  • other publication-related mistakes.

The original article will remain part of the scholarly record, while the erratum will clearly identify and explain the correction.

4. Corrigendum

A Corrigendum may be issued when an author identifies an error in the published article that originated from the author's submitted manuscript.

Examples may include:

  • incorrect author information;

  • inaccurate data presentation that does not invalidate the principal findings;

  • minor errors in tables or figures;

  • incorrect references;

  • factual errors that do not substantially affect the conclusions; or

  • other author-originated mistakes that can be corrected without retracting the article.

The corrigendum will clearly identify the affected information and provide the corrected version.

5. Article Withdrawal Before Publication

Withdrawal applies to manuscripts that have not yet been formally published and remain in the submission, editorial, or peer-review process.

Authors may request withdrawal when, for example:

  • substantial errors are discovered;

  • ethical concerns arise;

  • the manuscript has been submitted elsewhere;

  • duplicate submission is identified;

  • authorship problems require resolution; or

  • other legitimate circumstances make withdrawal necessary.

Withdrawal Procedure

Authors requesting withdrawal must submit a written request to the editorial office explaining the reason for withdrawal.

The request should be submitted by the corresponding author and, where appropriate, confirmed by all authors.

The editorial team will evaluate the request and determine whether withdrawal is justified.

Once approved, the manuscript will be removed from the active editorial or peer-review process.

Unauthorized withdrawal, repeated withdrawal after peer review without valid justification, or simultaneous submission to multiple journals may be considered a violation of publication ethics and may result in appropriate editorial action, including temporary restrictions on future submissions.

6. Withdrawal After Acceptance but Before Publication

If an article has been accepted but has not yet been formally published, withdrawal may be considered in exceptional circumstances.

The author must provide a written explanation to the editorial office. The editorial team will assess the request based on the circumstances and publication-ethics considerations.

Where an author withdraws a manuscript without valid justification after substantial editorial or production work has been completed, the journal may take appropriate action in accordance with its publication policies.

7. Post-Publication Ethical Concerns

Concerns regarding a published article may be raised by:

  • authors;

  • readers;

  • reviewers;

  • editors;

  • research institutions;

  • research participants; or

  • other relevant stakeholders.

Concerns should be supported by specific information or evidence whenever possible.

The editorial team will assess credible concerns and may contact the authors or relevant institutions to obtain clarification.

Depending on the nature and severity of the concern, the journal may issue:

  • a correction;

  • an erratum;

  • a corrigendum;

  • an editorial notice;

  • an expression of concern; or

  • a retraction.

8. Expression of Concern

Where serious concerns have been raised but the investigation has not yet reached a definitive conclusion, the journal may publish an Expression of Concern.

An Expression of Concern may be used when:

  • the reliability of the research is seriously questioned;

  • an institutional investigation is ongoing;

  • relevant evidence is incomplete;

  • there is a substantial unresolved ethical concern; or

  • further investigation is required before a final editorial decision can be made.

An Expression of Concern does not itself constitute a retraction. If the investigation subsequently establishes that correction or retraction is necessary, the appropriate editorial action will be taken.

9. AI-Related Corrections and Retractions

The use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies may be considered in correction or retraction decisions when such use materially affects the integrity of the published work.

Examples include:

  • fabricated references generated by AI;

  • fabricated or manipulated research data;

  • AI-generated content presented as empirical findings;

  • undisclosed AI use that materially affects the research;

  • fabricated quotations or sources;

  • inappropriate use of AI-generated figures or images; or

  • AI-assisted analysis that produces unreliable findings and materially affects the conclusions.

Minor and properly disclosed language assistance alone will not normally constitute grounds for retraction.

10. Transparency of Retraction and Correction Notices

Retraction, correction, erratum, corrigendum, and expression-of-concern notices should be:

  • clearly identified;

  • linked to the affected article;

  • publicly accessible where appropriate;

  • dated;

  • sufficiently detailed to explain the reason for the editorial action; and

  • distinguishable from the original article.

The journal aims to ensure that readers can clearly understand whether a published article has been corrected, subject to an expression of concern, or retracted.

11. Ethical Compliance

All decisions concerning correction, retraction, and withdrawal will be handled fairly, objectively, and transparently.

CETHE: Journal of Creative Economics and Trading Halal Ecosystem is committed to protecting the integrity of the scholarly record while respecting the rights and responsibilities of authors, reviewers, editors, institutions, and research participants.

The journal will consider relevant evidence and publication-ethics principles when making editorial decisions and may consult appropriate experts or institutions when necessary.

12. Editorial Independence

Retraction, correction, and withdrawal decisions will be based on scholarly, ethical, and publication-related considerations. Editorial decisions will not be influenced by commercial interests, personal relationships, institutional pressure, or other inappropriate considerations.

13. Contact and Reporting Concerns

Concerns regarding a published or submitted manuscript should be communicated to the editorial office through the official journal contact or submission system.

Authors and other stakeholders are encouraged to provide sufficient information and supporting evidence to enable the editorial team to assess the concern appropriately.

The journal will handle submitted concerns with appropriate confidentiality and will communicate relevant decisions to affected parties where necessary.