Corrections and Retractions are mechanisms used at  the Pakistan Journal of Chemistry to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record:

1. Corrections: These are issued when an article contains errors or inaccuracies that do not invalidate its overall findings but require clarification or amendment. Examples include typographical errors, minor data inaccuracies, or updates to author information. Corrections are usually published as a separate note linked to the original Article.
2. Retractions: These are issued when significant issues are identified that compromise the validity, integrity, or reliability of the Article’s content. Retractions may occur due to problems such as Plagiarism, data fabrication, ethical violations, or serious methodological flaws. A retraction notice explains the reasons and is permanently linked to the original Article.

Both processes aim to ensure transparency, accountability, and trust in scholarly communication.

The Pakistan Journal of Chemistry actively encourages authors, researchers, and readers to report any illustrations of scientific transgression, terminologies of concern, and errors that may have been identified, particularly those that could impact the interpretation of data, results or information presented in a published article. PJC highly prioritizes the integrity and accuracy of the scientific record and values the diligence of our readers in upholding these high standards.

Corrigendum

We take the integrity of our publication record seriously and issue corrigenda to correct any factual errors identified. The procedure for issuing a corrigendum involves the following steps:

1. Review: Upon receiving a correction request, the relevant individual(s) will assess the proposed changes and determine if a corrigendum is warranted.
2. Cost: Issuing a corrigendum is free of charge.
3. Distinction: The corrigendum will be clearly distinguishable from retractions and expressions of concern.
4. Significance: Only significant errors that impact the published data directly or indirectly will be considered. Minor grammatical, textual, or spelling errors will not be addressed through this process.
5. Publication: The corrigendum will be linked to the original Article it corrects.

We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of scientific accuracy and accountability and appreciate the support of our authors, researchers, and readers in upholding these principles.

Retractions & Expressions of Concern

The Pakistan Journal of Chemistry follows the Retraction Guidelines set by the  Committee on Publication Ethics  (COPE) for necessary retractions. We urge authors to cooperate with investigations fully. Maintaining transparency and accountability is essential for preserving scientific integrity, and we are dedicated to upholding the highest ethical standards.

Our guidelines for considering retractions include:

1. Significant Errors: Retractions are considered if errors invalidate the Article’s results and conclusions.
2. Serious Misconduct: Errors that significantly impact result interpretation or involve serious misconduct (e.g., data fabrication, image falsification, Plagiarism, or ethical violations) may lead to retraction.
3. Publication: Retractions will be promptly published, replacing the original Article online with a “RETRACTED” watermark added to the original publication.
4. Linking: Retractions will be featured in the current issue and linked to the original manuscript. Ideally, authors should initiate retractions, though editors may accept retractions from other responsible parties under certain conditions.
5. Explanation: The retraction notice will explain the reasons for the retraction and include a complete citation of the original Article.
6. Institutional Notification: Editors may inform the authors’ institutions and publish an announcement about the retraction’s implications if deemed appropriate.

Expression of Concern

If there are valid doubts or suspicions regarding a published article, the editors may issue an Expression of Concern to notify readers of potentially misleading information. Note that an Expression of Concern can affect a researcher’s reputation similarly to a retraction, so it is generally advisable to delay retraction until an independent investigation clarifies the situation.

Withdrawal of Articles

Articles or parts of articles may be removed or obscured under two specific circumstances: legal infringements or serious health risks due to false or inaccurate data. In such cases, a retraction will be issued to preserve bibliographic information for the scientific record, accompanied by a detailed explanation of the removal or withdrawal.