The International Journal of Transportation Research and Technology is committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics and scientific integrity. This policy is based on the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and may be updated in line with revisions to COPE guidance.
The purpose of corrections and retractions is to ensure the integrity of the scholarly record and to correct the literature when necessary, not to punish authors.
Corrections
Authors are encouraged to promptly notify the editorial office if errors or inaccuracies are identified in their published work.
Corrections (erratum or corrigendum) will be issued when errors are identified that affect the interpretation of the work but do not invalidate the main findings and conclusions. Corrections will be clearly linked to the original article and will be freely accessible.
Expression of Concern
An Expression of Concern may be issued when there is inconclusive evidence of misconduct or unreliable findings, or when an investigation is ongoing. Such notices will be clearly labeled, linked to the article, and freely accessible.
If a final decision to retract is made, the retraction notice will clearly state that it supersedes any previously published Expression of Concern.
Retractions
Editors may retract a publication if they no longer have confidence in the reliability or integrity of the article. Retraction may proceed even if authors disagree.
Retraction may be considered in cases including, but not limited to:
- Unreliable findings: There is clear and convincing evidence that the findings are unreliable due to major errors (e.g., miscalculations or experimental errors), fabrication of data, or falsification (e.g., image manipulation).
- Plagiarism: The publication constitutes plagiarism, wherein significant portions of the content are lifted without proper attribution to the original sources.
- Redundant publication: The findings have previously been published elsewhere without proper attribution to previous sources, disclosure to the editor, permission to republish, or other justifiable reasons (i.e., cases of redundant publication).
- Unauthorized material or data: The publication contains material or data that were used without proper authorization or permission.
- Copyright infringement: There is evidence of copyright infringement or other serious legal issues, such as libel or privacy violations.
- Unethical research: The publication reports research that is deemed unethical according to established ethical guidelines.
- Undisclosed competing interests: The author(s) failed to disclose a major competing interest (conflict of interest) that, in the view of the editor, would have unduly affected interpretations of the work or recommendations by editors and peer reviewers.
Authorship disputes alone, without concerns regarding the validity of the work, are not grounds for retraction.
Partial retractions are generally avoided to prevent ambiguity regarding the reliability of the article.
Retraction Process and Notice
All authors will be informed of concerns and given an opportunity to respond. The final decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief.
Retraction notices will:
- Clearly identify the article (title, authors, DOI);
- State who is issuing the retraction;
- Provide objective and factual reasons for the decision;
- Be clearly labeled (e.g., “Retracted: [Title]”);
- Be linked to the original article;
- Be freely accessible;
- Ensure that all versions of the article are clearly marked as retracted and properly indexed in bibliographic databases.
Retracted articles will remain part of the scholarly record unless removal is legally required. In rare circumstances involving legal or safety concerns, the journal may issue a retraction with removal while retaining the article’s metadata.