Corrections & Retractions — per item

Overview

An author has found an error in a published table. A reader has raised a concern. Or, after investigation, the editor has decided to retract. The decision is the editor’s; carrying it out correctly is a production task with rules attached, and doing it badly (a silently replaced PDF, a retraction that indexes never learn about) damages the journal’s standing. Corrections, Retractions & Version Control executes the editor’s decision in line with COPE guidance and the way Crossref and indexes expect.

This is for journals on Open Journal Systems (OJS), the free, open-source software from PKP, or any other platform.

What’s Included

• Notice production — the correction, erratum, expression of concern or retraction notice typeset as a citable item with its own DOI, formatted to your template and linked in both directions to the original article
• Updated article files — corrected PDF, HTML and JATS XML with a visible version label and correction note; for retractions, a watermarked retracted version retained for the record
• Version control — a version history on the article page showing what changed and when, in the style of Crossmark, so readers know they are looking at the current version
• Metadata updates — Crossref record updated (including Crossmark update metadata where the journal participates), and notification to DOAJ, PubMed Central and other indexes that hold the article
• Preservation update — the corrected version redeposited to your archiving network
• Record of actions — a short log of what was done, for the editorial office’s files

How It Works

1. The editor sends the decision and the approved wording of the notice.
2. We produce the notice and updated files and return them for editorial sign-off.
3. We publish the notice and updated version, update the version history, and push metadata updates.
4. We confirm completion with a record of actions. Pricing is per item (one notice and its associated article update).

Important Limitations

• Editorial decision required — we do not investigate, adjudicate or decide. We act on a written editorial decision and approved notice text. Advice on handling a case is available separately through our integrity services.
• Index behavior — we notify indexes according to their procedures; how quickly each index reflects the change is outside our control.
• Crossmark — full Crossmark functionality requires the journal to participate in the Crossmark service through Crossref. Without it, we still maintain a version history on the article page.
• External fees — Crossref DOI registration for the notice and any Crossmark fees are separate and passed through at cost.

Common Questions

Can we just replace the PDF quietly?
We do not recommend it and will not do it without a notice. Silent changes breach COPE guidance and can be treated as misconduct by indexes.

What is the difference between a correction and a new version?
A correction fixes an error and is recorded with a notice; a new version is a substantive update (for example, in a living review) recorded in the version history. We handle both.

Does OJS support versioning?
Yes. Current OJS releases have built-in article versioning, which we use where the journal runs on OJS.

Request a proposal, or begin with the Journal Health Check.