Corrections, Expressions of Concern and Retractions

MIJST is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scientific record. When errors or misconduct are identified after publication, we follow the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidelines to address them through corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions.

1 Corrections (Errata & Corrigenda)

A correction notice is published when a significant error is found in a published article that affects the publication record or the scientific integrity but does not invalidate the research results.

Errata: Issued for errors introduced by the journal during the editing or production process.
Corrigenda: Issued for errors identified by the authors (e.g., an omitted author or a mistake in a data table).
Procedure: The original article remains unchanged, but a separate correction link is permanently attached to it.

2 Expressions of Concern

The Editorial Board may issue an Expression of Concern if:

  • There is inconclusive evidence of research or publication misconduct by the authors.
  • There is evidence that the findings are unreliable, but the authors’ institution is unwilling to investigate.
  • An investigation into alleged misconduct is ongoing but will take a long time to reach a conclusion.

3 Retractions

A Retraction is the most serious action and is issued if:

  • The findings are clearly unreliable due to honest error, data fabrication, or falsification.
  • The work constitutes plagiarism or redundant publication.
  • The research is found to be unethical.

Procedure: Following COPE Retraction Guidelines, the original PDF will be watermarked "RETRACTED," and a formal Retraction Statement will be published, explaining the reasons for the action.

4 Post-Publication Discussion and Debate

MIJST encourages academic debate and transparency through several channels:

Letters to the Editor: Readers can submit formal comments or critiques. If scientifically sound, it may be published along with a response from the original authors.
Social Media & Direct Contact: We monitor discussions on platforms like ResearchGate and PubPeer. If significant concerns are raised, the Editorial Board will initiate an internal review.
Formal Rebuttals: Authors who disagree with a published critique have the right to provide a formal rebuttal.

5 Mechanism for Handling Complaints

Anyone who identifies a potential error or ethical issue in a published paper should contact the Complaint Cell at:
complaint.appeal@mijst.mist.ac.bd
All reports are investigated confidentially.