Corrections, Retractions, and Withdrawal Policy
The Interdisciplinary Journal of Health, Environment and Computation (IJHEC) is committed to upholding the integrity, accuracy, and transparency of the scholarly record. In accordance with international publishing standards and COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines, IJHEC maintains the following policies on post-publication changes:
Corrections
Corrections are issued to amend errors in published articles that do not compromise the scientific validity or core conclusions of the research. These may include:
- Typographical mistakes
- Inaccurate author names or affiliations
- Labeling or formatting errors
- Factual inaccuracies that require clarification
Such corrections are published in the “Corrections and Addendum” section of the journal’s subsequent issue. The corrected article is updated online, with appropriate notes and links for transparency. This process ensures academic accuracy while maintaining the credibility of the published literature.
Retractions
Retractions are issued when a published article is found to have major flaws or ethical breaches that invalidate the research or violate publishing ethics. Grounds for retraction include (but are not limited to):
- Plagiarism
- Fabrication or falsification of data
- Redundant or duplicate publication
- Undisclosed conflicts of interest
- Major authorship disputes
- Unethical research practices
Retractions may be initiated by the Editorial Board, authors, or the author’s affiliated institution. Before finalizing a retraction, the Editorial Board may consult with independent reviewers or subject-matter experts to ensure a thorough and fair evaluation.
Retraction notices are published with full transparency and linked directly to the original article, which remains accessible with a “Retracted” watermark. The notice clearly states the reason(s) for retraction and aligns with COPE Retraction Guidelines to support accountability and clarity for readers and indexing databases.
Withdrawal of Manuscripts
Pre-Publication Withdrawal
Authors may request to withdraw a submitted manuscript by completing and signing the official Withdrawal Request Form. This must be submitted by the corresponding author. If the request is made within 10 days of submission, no penalty will be applied.
Post-Review Withdrawal
Withdrawal requests made after peer review or acceptance will incur a withdrawal processing fee of:
- INR 1000 (for authors based in India)
- USD 20 (for international authors)
This fee helps compensate for the editorial and peer review efforts already invested in processing the manuscript.
Withdrawal of Published Articles
Withdrawal of already published articles is strongly discouraged. In exceptional cases where such withdrawal is approved (e.g., legal constraints or severe ethical breaches), the Article Processing Charges (APC) will not be refunded, and an additional penalty may apply. Withdrawn articles are not published, indexed, or processed further. They are archived internally and clearly marked as withdrawn to maintain the transparency and integrity of the editorial process.
At IJHEC, these practices reinforce our commitment to ethical publishing, responsible authorship, and the long-term preservation of trustworthy scholarly communication.