UTJES is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record. In cases where published content requires amendment, the journal follows the principles and procedures established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Corrections

A correction (erratum/corrigendum) is issued when a small but significant part of an otherwise reliable publication is found to be incorrect, and the error does not undermine the overall integrity or conclusions of the work.

Corrections may be issued for errors such as:

• Errors in author name, affiliation, or order (with justification and consent of all authors)
• Errors in figures, tables, or data that do not affect the overall conclusions
• Errors in funding or conflict-of-interest disclosures
• Missing or incorrect references

Procedure:

• The request may originate from authors, readers, or the Editorial Office
• The Editor-in-Chief evaluates the request and consults authors as needed
• A formal correction notice is published, linked bidirectionally to the original article
• The original article is preserved, with the correction clearly noted alongside it

2. Retractions

A retraction is used to correct the scholarly record and alert readers to publications that contain seriously flawed or erroneous content, data, or conclusions that cannot be relied upon, or that involve research or publication misconduct.

Grounds for retraction include (following COPE's retraction guidelines):

• Clear evidence of unreliable findings due to misconduct (e.g., data fabrication) or honest error (e.g., miscalculation, experimental error)
• Plagiarism or duplicate publication (redundant publication)
• Unethical research practices (e.g., lack of required ethical approvals)
• Copyright infringement, legal issues, or unauthorized use of data
• Fraudulent authorship or peer review manipulation (e.g., fake reviewer identities)

Procedure:

• The Editor-in-Chief investigates the concern, which may include contacting the authors' institution(s)
• Authors are given the opportunity to respond before a final decision
• If retraction is confirmed, a retraction notice is published, stating the reason(s) for retraction, who is retracting the article, and linked to the original article
• The original article is retained on the journal's website, clearly marked as "RETRACTED," with the PDF watermarked accordingly
• Retracted articles remain accessible to preserve the scholarly record, unless legal limitations require removal

3. Expressions of Concern

An Expression of Concern is issued when there is credible evidence of misconduct, but the investigation is inconclusive, ongoing, or cannot be resolved in a timely manner (e.g., pending institutional investigation).

Expressions of Concern may be issued when:

• An investigation is unlikely to be concluded promptly
• Evidence of misconduct is credible but not yet fully substantiated
• An investigation into the concern raised does not appear to have been fair, objective, or conclusive

Once the investigation concludes, the Expression of Concern is followed by either a correction, retraction, or a notice confirming the validity of the original publication.

4. Editorial responsibility

The Editor-in-Chief, supported by the Editorial Board, is responsible for:

• Evaluating all concerns raised about published content, regardless of source (author, reader, reviewer, or third party)
• Ensuring investigations are fair, thorough, and free of conflicts of interest
• Making the final decision on corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern, guided by COPE flowcharts and guidelines
• Ensuring timely communication with all relevant parties (authors, institutions, readers)

5. Author obligations

Authors are expected to:

• Promptly notify the Editorial Office if they discover a significant error or inaccuracy in their own published work
• Cooperate fully with any investigation into concerns raised about their work
• Provide additional data, materials, or clarifications upon request during an investigation

6. Transparency and record-keeping

• All correction, retraction, and expression of concern notices are freely accessible and permanently linked to the original article
• Notices include the reason for the action, the date, and who is issuing it (editor, publisher, or authors)
• Retracted or corrected articles remain identifiable and searchable to preserve transparency in the scholarly record