WITHDRAWAL, RETRACTION, & CORRECTION

1. Withdrawal of Manuscripts

Rationale for Withdrawal Policy

The policy on manuscript withdrawal is designed to maintain the integrity and efficiency of the editorial and peer-review processes. Manuscripts undergo significant time and effort from both editors and reviewers. Frequent withdrawals can disrupt workflows, waste valuable resources, and harm the credibility of the journal. To prevent arbitrary withdrawals, the journal enforces a penalty fee, thus ensuring resources are respected and the operational efficiency is protected.

Penalty Justification

A withdrawal penalty fee of 500,000 IDR during the peer review stage and 1,000,000 IDR post-acceptance is charged to encourage author responsibility and commitment. This fee deters frivolous submissions and withdrawals, which can delay the journal's operations. It also helps maintain the financial stability of the journal, ensuring that resources are not wasted.

Ethical Considerations of Withdrawal

The journal prohibits the withdrawal of manuscripts after acceptance by another journal, as it violates academic integrity. This policy aims to prevent dual submissions and ensures authors respect intellectual property rights, fostering a fair and transparent publication process.

Enforcement and Sanctions

Failure to pay the withdrawal penalty may result in blacklisting, and the author’s institution will be notified. These enforcement measures ensure that authors uphold the journal's policies, maintaining professionalism and integrity in the submission process.

Recommendations for Future Development

  • Clarification of Exceptions: The journal could outline exceptions where manuscript withdrawal may be justified (e.g., conflicts of interest, health issues, or errors not caused by the author).

  • Payment Flexibility: The journal may consider offering flexible payment plans or waivers in cases of financial difficulty, balancing the policy enforcement with compassion.

2. Retraction of Manuscripts

Retraction Criteria

Retraction is a serious action taken when evidence shows that the published work is flawed to the extent that it invalidates the findings. Reasons for retraction include:

  • Data fabrication or misconduct: Falsified or misrepresented research.

  • Honest error: Errors that significantly alter the research conclusions.

  • Redundant publication: The paper was published elsewhere without proper referencing.

  • Plagiarism: Use of others' work without proper attribution.

  • Unethical research: Violations of ethical standards (e.g., improper treatment of subjects, lack of consent).

Clear Evidence Requirement

Retraction decisions are based on clear, unambiguous evidence. This prevents arbitrary decisions and ensures that retractions are justified and transparent, protecting the academic integrity of both the authors and the journal.

Linking to COPE Retraction Guidelines

The journal follows the Retraction Guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), ensuring that its retraction process aligns with internationally recognized best practices. This demonstrates the journal's commitment to ethical publishing standards.

Recommendations for Future Development

  • Public Notification and Justification: The journal could provide a brief explanation for any retracted articles, aligning with COPE's guidelines for transparency.

  • Appeals Process: An appeals process could be introduced to allow authors to challenge retraction decisions, ensuring fairness and providing an opportunity to address misunderstandings or errors before retraction.

3. Correction of Manuscripts

Corrections address minor errors that do not affect the article's fundamental conclusions but must be corrected to maintain the accuracy of the scholarly record. These are categorized as:

Erratum

An Erratum is issued when small errors, such as typographical mistakes or miscalculations, are identified. The authors issue a statement explaining the correction and its impact (if any) on the conclusions. The corrected article remains available, and the Erratum is linked for clarity.

Publisher's Note

A Publisher’s Note is issued when typographical or production errors, such as metadata issues, occur. The original article is replaced with a corrected version, and the error is described in a note that is linked to the article.

Recommendations for Future Development

  • Clear Policy on Timelines: The journal could set clear timeframes for issuing corrections (e.g., within one year of publication) to ensure that articles remain accurate and up-to-date.

  • Handling Minor vs. Major Errors: A clearer distinction between minor errors (that require corrections) and major errors (that require retraction) could help streamline decision-making.

4. General Policy Refinements

Author Responsibility and Integrity

The withdrawal, correction, and retraction policies emphasize the importance of author responsibility. Authors must understand the implications of their actions on both the publication process and the broader academic community. This ensures that authors maintain high ethical standards throughout the research and publication cycle.

Balance Between Author Rights and Journal Integrity

The journal seeks a balance between respecting author rights and maintaining the integrity and credibility of the publication process. Authors are held accountable for their actions (particularly in cases of withdrawal or retraction) while ensuring that the journal’s operations remain unaffected.

Recommendations for Expanded Communication

  • Pre-Submission Communication: To avoid misunderstandings later in the submission process, the journal should provide authors with clear guidelines on the withdrawal, correction, and retraction policies before they submit their manuscripts.

  • Public Awareness Campaign: The journal could run an awareness campaign to educate the academic community about the importance of ethical submissions and the consequences of improper manuscript handling. Case studies of withdrawals, corrections, and retractions could be used to illustrate the importance of academic integrity.

The manuscript withdrawal, retraction, and correction policies in QUAERENS: Journal of Theology and Christianity Studies are grounded in the principle of protecting academic integrity, maintaining operational efficiency, and adhering to ethical standards. With further elaboration and refinement, these policies can foster an environment that upholds the highest standards of scholarly publication.