Post-Publication Discussions and Corrections

1. Introduction

Physical Education and Sports: Studies and Research (PESSR) is committed to maintaining the integrity and accuracy of the scholarly record after publication. We recognize that science is a continuous process of discovery and refinement, and that published work may require discussion, clarification, or amendment over time. This policy outlines PESSR's approach to facilitating scholarly debate on published articles and our procedures for issuing corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, and other post-publication updates when necessary. PESSR adheres to the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in managing all post-publication issues.

2. Description

1. Post-Publication Discussion: Scholarly discourse does not end with publication. PESSR values and encourages ongoing discussion of published work to advance understanding and refine knowledge in the fields of industrial engineering and systems optimization.
2. Need for Post-Publication Amendments: Published articles may require amendment for various reasons, including:

a. Honest errors by authors or the journal that affect the interpretation or understanding of the work but do not invalidate its core findings.
b. New critical information or evidence that becomes available after publication and significantly impacts the original findings or conclusions.
c. Instances of research misconduct (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication or falsification) that undermine the validity or reliability of the published work.

3. Types of Post-Publication Amendments:

a. Corrections: Published to rectify unintentional, significant errors or omissions in a published article. These can be:

1) Corrigendum: An error originating from the author(s).
2) Erratum: An error originating from the journal during the production process.

b. Retractions: A mechanism for withdrawing a published article from the scholarly record when there is clear evidence that its findings are unreliable due to major error (e.g., miscalculation or experimental error of such magnitude that the main conclusions are no longer justified) or as a result of research misconduct (e.g., data fabrication, falsification, plagiarism), redundant publication, or unethical research.

c. Expressions of Concern (EoC): Notices issued by the editors to alert readers to serious concerns about the integrity or validity of a published article, typically when an investigation into alleged misconduct is ongoing, or when an investigation is inconclusive, but significant concerns about the reliability of the work remain.

d. Addenda: Supplementary information added by the authors to an article, deemed essential for readers' understanding of the work (e.g., an expansion of methods or a clarification), which does not correct an error in the original article.

e. Article Versioning/Updates: In some cases, substantial new data or interpretations may warrant an update to an article, which would be handled with clear versioning to distinguish it from the original publication. PESSR will consider such updates on a case-by-case basis.

3. Policy

a. Encouraging Scholarly Debate:

1) PESSR encourages constructive and respectful post-publication discussion regarding articles it has published.
2) The journal will provide clear mechanisms for readers and authors to engage in such discussions (e.g., letters to the editor, online commenting where available).

b. Maintaining the Integrity of the Record:

1) PESSR has a fundamental responsibility to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record it publishes.
2) The journal will take appropriate and timely action to address any confirmed errors, inaccuracies, or misconduct in published articles.

c. Transparency and Clarity:

1) All post-publication amendments (corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, addenda) will be clearly identified as such, published promptly, and permanently linked to the original article in all its online forms.
2) The reasons for any such amendment will be clearly explained in the published notice.

d. Impartiality in Decision-Making:

1) Decisions regarding the issuance of corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern will be made by the Editor-in-Chief, based on a thorough investigation of the available evidence and in consultation with relevant parties (including authors, reviewers, and potentially institutions or ethics committees).
2) These decisions will be made objectively, without regard to the status, affiliation, or seniority of the authors, and will follow COPE guidelines.

e. Grounds for Retraction:

1) Retractions will be considered in cases of:

a) Clear evidence that the findings are unreliable, either as a result of major error (e.g., miscalculation or experimental error) or as a result of fabrication or falsification.
b) Plagiarism.
c) Redundant (duplicate or overlapping) publication where the article adds no new contribution to the literature.
d) Unethical research, such as failure to obtain required ethics approvals or informed consent.

2) Retractions are not generally issued for minor errors that do not significantly affect the overall findings or conclusions of the article.

f. Use of Expressions of Concern:

1) An Expression of Concern may be issued if:
a) There is inconclusive evidence of research or publication misconduct by the authors, but there are well-founded concerns regarding the reliability of the findings.
b) An investigation into alleged misconduct related to a publication is underway or is anticipated to be prolonged, and editors wish to alert readers to the situation.
c) An Expression of Concern is a temporary measure and will be updated or replaced once an investigation is complete or further information becomes available.

g. Author Cooperation:
Authors of articles published in PESSR are expected to cooperate fully with the journal in resolving any post-publication issues concerning their work, including providing data or necessary clarifications when requested.

4. Technicalities to Achieve and Materialise the Policies

a. Post-Publication Discussions

  1. Letters to the Editor / Commentaries:
    a) PESSR provides a mechanism for readers to submit formal letters to the editor or short commentaries that discuss or critique articles recently published in the journal.
    b) Submissions should be concise, constructive, and directly relevant to the specific PESSR article. They may be subject to editorial review and light editing.
    c) The authors of the original article being discussed will typically be given an opportunity to submit a formal response, which may be published alongside the letter/commentary.

  2. Online Commenting (if available):
    If PESSR implements an online commenting feature on its article pages, it will provide clear guidelines for acceptable use and community standards. Comments may be moderated to ensure they are constructive and not defamatory or offensive.

b. Corrections (Errata and Corrigenda)

  1. Identification and Reporting of Errors: Authors, readers, or reviewers who identify a potentially significant error or omission in a published PESSR article are encouraged to contact the Editor-in-Chief directly, providing specific details of the error and its location in the article.
  2. Assessment of Errors: The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the authors and potentially peer reviewers or editorial board members, will assess the impact of the reported error on the integrity and interpretation of the published work.
  3. Issuing Correction Notices:
    a) If a significant error is confirmed, a formal correction notice (Corrigendum for author-originated errors, Erratum for journal-originated errors) will be published.
    b) The correction notice will be citable, clearly state the nature of the error and the correction made, and be linked electronically to the original published article. The original article will remain unchanged but will bear a notification of the correction.
    c) Correction notices are published free of charge.

c. Retractions

  1. Initiation of Retraction Process: Concerns that may lead to a retraction will be thoroughly investigated in accordance with PESSR's "Policy on Allegations of Misconduct."
  2. Retraction Notice:
    a) If a retraction is deemed necessary, a formal Retraction Notice will be published.
    b) The notice will be clearly titled "Retraction: [Original Article Title]" and will be authored by the Editor-in-Chief, or by the retracting authors if they initiate the retraction.
    c) The Retraction Notice will be linked to the retracted article in all online versions (e.g., on the journal website and in bibliographic databases) and will be clearly identified on the PDF and HTML versions of the retracted article itself.
    d) The notice will specify who is retracting the article and provide a clear, unambiguous statement of the reason(s) for the retraction, distinguishing between honest error and research misconduct where possible and appropriate.
    e) The retracted article will remain part of the public record but will be clearly marked as retracted to alert readers. Retraction notices will be promptly communicated to indexing and abstracting services.

d. Expressions of Concern (EoC)

  1. Issuing an EoC: If editors have substantial, well-founded concerns about the reliability or integrity of a published article, but an investigation is ongoing or conclusive evidence is not yet available, an Expression of Concern may be issued.
  2. Content and Linking: The EoC will be published as a citable notice, linked to the article in question, clearly stating the nature of the concerns. It serves as an interim measure to alert the readership.
  3. Follow-up: The EoC will be updated or replaced (e.g., with a confirmation of the article's validity, a correction, or a retraction) once further information becomes available or the investigation concludes.

e. Addenda

  1. Purpose: Authors may request to publish an addendum if they wish to provide additional information that is critical for the understanding or interpretation of their published article, but does not correct an error in the original work.
  2. Process: Requests for addenda will be considered by the Editor-in-Chief and may be subject to peer review or editorial assessment. If accepted, the addendum will be published as a separate citable notice, linked to the original article.

f. Article Removal or Replacement (Exceptional Circumstances)

  1. Removal: In extremely rare circumstances, an article may need to be removed from the online journal, for example, if it is found to be defamatory, to infringe on legal rights (such as copyright or privacy), or to pose a significant and immediate risk (e.g., to public health, though less likely in PESSR's scope). In such cases, a notice will be published explaining the reason for the removal.
  2. Retraction and Replacement: If an article is retracted due to honest error that fundamentally undermines its findings, but the authors can subsequently correct the errors and produce a sound, corrected version of the study, the journal may, in exceptional cases, consider publishing the corrected version as a new article, with a clear explanation of the history and a link to the retraction notice of the original.

g. Ensuring Discoverability of Amendments

PESSR will take all reasonable steps to ensure that post-publication amendments (corrections, retractions, EoCs, addenda) are promptly and accurately indexed and linked by bibliographic databases and abstracting services, so that readers are readily alerted to any changes in the status of a published article.

This policy ensures that Physical Education and Sports: Studies and Research (PESSR) maintains a commitment to the ongoing accuracy and integrity of the scholarly record it disseminates.

COPE resources