Retraction Policy

The Journal of Computer and Data Science (JCODA) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the scholarly record. Retraction is a formal editorial action taken when a published article is found to contain serious problems that undermine its findings, validity, or ethical legitimacy. JCODA handles retractions carefully, transparently, and in accordance with established publication ethics principles.

1. Grounds for Retraction

JCODA may retract a published article when credible evidence establishes that its reliability or ethical standing has been seriously compromised. Grounds for retraction may include, but are not limited to:

Research Misconduct Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other serious violations of research integrity.

Unreliable Findings Major errors in data, methods, analysis, or interpretation that invalidate the article's conclusions.

Publication Violations Duplicate publication, unauthorized use of material, or serious breaches of publication ethics.

Ethical or Legal Concerns Serious violations involving research participants, consent, permissions, authorship, or legal rights.

2. Retraction Procedure

When a potential reason for retraction is identified, the editorial team conducts an appropriate assessment to establish the facts and determine the appropriate action. The process generally includes the following steps:

Identification of Concern A concern may be raised by authors, readers, reviewers, editors, institutions, or other credible sources.

Editorial Investigation The editor evaluates the available evidence and may request explanations, supporting data, or relevant documentation from the authors or other appropriate parties.

Author and Institutional Consultation Where appropriate, the authors are given an opportunity to respond. The journal may consult the authors' institutions or other relevant bodies when further investigation is necessary.

Editorial Decision The editor-in-chief or authorized editorial representative determines whether retraction is warranted based on the evidence, the seriousness of the concern, and applicable publication ethics guidance.

Publication of Retraction Notice If retraction is approved, the journal publishes a clear notice explaining the reason for the retraction and links it to the original article to preserve the transparency of the scholarly record.

3. Retraction Notice and Article Preservation

A retraction notice will identify the affected article and explain the reason for retraction in a clear, factual, and objective manner, subject to applicable legal and ethical requirements. The notice will be publicly accessible and linked to the original publication whenever possible.

To maintain the integrity of the scholarly record, the original article will generally remain accessible in the journal's archive, clearly marked as retracted. The journal will not silently remove or replace the article, except where removal is required by law, a court order, or other exceptional circumstances. Relevant indexing services and repositories may be notified when appropriate.

4. Retraction, Correction, and Expression of Concern

Retraction is not the automatic response to every error or allegation. JCODA selects the editorial action that best reflects the nature and seriousness of the issue.

Correction Used for errors that can be corrected without invalidating the overall reliability of the article.

Retraction Used when serious concerns make the findings or the article's ethical basis unreliable.

Expression of Concern May be issued when significant concerns exist but the investigation or available evidence is not yet sufficient for a final decision.

5. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are expected to cooperate with editorial investigations, provide accurate information and relevant supporting materials when requested, and respond to concerns in a timely and professional manner. Authors may raise objections to a proposed retraction and submit supporting evidence for consideration. However, the final editorial decision rests with the journal and is based on the available evidence and applicable ethical standards. A retraction may proceed even if the authors disagree with the decision or do not respond.

6. Retraction Regardless of Authorship Status

Retraction decisions are intended to protect the integrity of the scholarly record, not to serve as a disciplinary penalty. The journal may retract an article regardless of whether the authors acknowledge the problem, agree with the decision, remain affiliated with their institutions, or are still available for consultation. The decision will be based on the evidence and the extent to which the article's reliability or ethical standing has been compromised.

Commitment to Publication Integrity

The Journal of Computer and Data Science (JCODA) is committed to addressing serious publication concerns fairly, consistently, and transparently. Retraction decisions are made to correct the scholarly record, protect readers and the research community from unreliable findings, and uphold responsible research and publication practices.