Corrections and Retractions

HDC: Journal of Human Development and Community Empowerment adheres to the principles and best practices set forth by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) in handling article corrections, retractions, and updates. The journal recognizes the substantial efforts made by authors in preparing their manuscripts and the rigorous editorial and peer-review processes undertaken prior to publication. Nevertheless, to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record, corrective actions may be taken when necessary for scientific, ethical, or legal reasons.

Any correction or retraction will be implemented transparently, promptly, and consistently, in accordance with the COPE Retraction Guidelines, and solely for the purpose of maintaining the reliability and credibility of the academic literature.

Article Retraction

An article may be retracted when there is clear evidence that the findings or conclusions are unreliable, either as a result of research misconduct (such as data fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism) or honest error (such as miscalculation or methodological flaws), as outlined by COPE. Retraction may also occur under the following circumstances:

  • The article constitutes a serious ethical breach, including plagiarism, redundant or duplicate publication, or inappropriate authorship practices.
  • The article contains defamatory material, infringes copyright, violates privacy, or poses a significant legal risk.
  • The article has been previously published elsewhere without proper disclosure or justification.

Retraction decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief in consultation with the editorial board and, when necessary, relevant institutional authorities. Authors will be informed of the retraction decision; however, author agreement is not a prerequisite for retraction if the integrity of the scholarly record is at risk.

In accordance with COPE recommendations, retracted articles will remain accessible in the journal archive to preserve the scholarly record. The article text will be clearly marked as “Retracted”, and a retraction notice will be published, stating the reason(s) for retraction, who is retracting the article, and the date of retraction.

Article Correction

Corrections will be issued when errors are identified that do not invalidate the overall findings of the article but require clarification or amendment to ensure accuracy and transparency. Situations warranting correction include:

  • Inaccurate or misleading data, tables, figures, or statements resulting from unintentional errors.
  • Authorship errors, including omission or inclusion of authors that do not comply with authorship criteria.

Consistent with COPE guidance, corrections are categorized as follows:

  • Erratum: Issued by the publisher to correct errors introduced during the editorial or production process that affect the accuracy or integrity of the published article.
  • Corrigendum: Issued by the author(s) to correct errors originating from the authors that affect the article’s accuracy or the journal’s reputation.
  • Addendum: Issued by the author(s) to provide additional information, clarification, or updates that enhance understanding of the article without altering its original conclusions.

All corrections will be clearly linked to the original article and made freely accessible. The final determination regarding whether a correction, retraction, or other editorial action is required rests with the Editor-in-Chief, in accordance with COPE Retraction and Correction Guidelines.