Publication Ethics Statement
International Journal of Animal and Wildlife Research
Maintaining an Accurate Scholarly Record
Peer Review Process · Publication Ethics · COPE Guidelines
The International Journal of Animal and Wildlife Research (IJAWR) is committed to maintaining an accurate, reliable, and transparent scholarly record. If an error, concern, or other issue is identified after publication, the journal will assess the matter and take appropriate editorial action based on the available evidence, with reference to relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), where applicable.
Depending on the nature and seriousness of an issue, IJAWR may issue a correction, an Expression of Concern, a retraction, or take other appropriate editorial action.
Corrections
A correction may be issued when an error, omission, or inaccuracy affects a published article but the article remains substantially reliable. This may involve factual or numerical errors, species identification, scientific names, figures, tables, references, author or affiliation details, funding or disclosure statements, or other publication information.
Minor typographical or formatting errors that do not affect meaning may be corrected through routine editorial maintenance. Substantive errors are addressed through a formal Correction Notice, identifying the affected article and describing the change. The notice is linked to the original article, which may be updated accordingly.
Authors, readers, reviewers, or editors may report a suspected error. The editorial team assesses the request, may seek clarification or supporting documentation from the authors, and may consult relevant experts or institutions where necessary. Requests concerning authorship, conflicts of interest, animal research ethics, wildlife permits, or research integrity are evaluated with reference to the journal's relevant policies, including the Authorship Policy, Conflict of Interest Policy, and Publication Ethics Policy.
Retractions
Retraction may be considered when reliable evidence shows that a published article, or a substantial part of it, is no longer sufficiently reliable or ethically acceptable. Circumstances may include:
Fabrication or falsification of data or results.
Plagiarism or substantial unattributed use of another's work.
Duplicate or redundant publication.
Major errors that invalidate the principal findings or conclusions.
Serious violations of research ethics, animal welfare requirements, or applicable wildlife protection regulations, including the absence of required ethical approval or research permits.
Manipulated or unreliable figures, images, species identification records, or data.
Serious undisclosed conflicts of interest materially affecting the publication.
Serious authorship or publication misconduct.
Each case is assessed individually; an error does not automatically require retraction. An honest, unintentional error does not by itself constitute misconduct. Where the issue can be accurately corrected without undermining the article's overall reliability, a correction will generally be considered instead.
Where practicable, authors are given an opportunity to respond before a decision is made. The journal may also consult reviewers, subject experts, or relevant institutions. A retraction decision is made independently of any Article Processing Charge or other financial consideration.
Expression of Concern
Where significant concerns have been raised but the available evidence is not yet sufficient to determine whether a correction or retraction is warranted, IJAWR may publish an Expression of Concern while further information or investigation is obtained.
Following further assessment, IJAWR may issue a correction, retraction, or other appropriate editorial notice.
Retraction Notice and Published Record
A retracted article is not normally removed from the journal's published record. It remains accessible but is clearly marked RETRACTED, alongside a linked Retraction Notice explaining the reason for the action.
The original DOI is normally retained, and relevant metadata may be updated where technically possible. Where appropriate, IJAWR may provide updated information to relevant indexing, abstracting, repository, or discovery services. The timing of updates by third-party services is outside the journal's control.
A retraction differs from an article withdrawal, which generally applies to manuscripts that have not yet been formally published and is handled separately under the journal's applicable withdrawal procedures.
Appeals
Authors may request reconsideration of a correction or retraction decision where substantial new evidence emerges, relevant information was overlooked, or a significant procedural error occurred.
An appeal does not automatically suspend the existing editorial notice. Any further decision will be based on the available evidence and circumstances of the case.
Confidentiality
Correction and retraction matters are handled with appropriate confidentiality. Information may be shared where reasonably necessary to investigate the matter, obtain clarification, consult relevant parties, comply with applicable requirements, or maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.
The identity of individuals raising concerns will not be disclosed unnecessarily.
Fees and Editorial Independence
IJAWR does not charge authors for correcting genuine publication errors. Decisions relating to corrections, Expressions of Concern, and retractions are made independently of APC payment, refund requests, or other financial considerations.
Editorial Responsibility
Decisions on corrections and retractions are made by the IJAWR editorial team based on the available evidence and circumstances of each case.
The purpose of these actions is to preserve the accuracy, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record, including the reliability of animal and wildlife research, rather than to penalize authors for genuine and unintentional mistakes.
This policy is informed by relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), where applicable.