Retraction, Withdrawal, Removal & Replacement Policy

Retraction, Correction, Expression Of Concern, Removal And Replacement Policy

1. General Principles

Agro Bali: Agricultural Journal is committed to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record. Decisions concerning corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, removals, and replacements of published articles are made in accordance with the relevant guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and established publication ethics standards.

The Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the Editorial Board where appropriate, will assess concerns about published articles objectively and fairly. Editorial decisions will be based on the reliability of the research, the integrity of the publication process, and the available evidence, rather than financial considerations or pressure from authors or other parties.

2. Corrections

A correction may be published when an error is identified in a published article but the overall reliability of its principal findings and conclusions remains intact.

Errors originating from the authors may be addressed through a corrigendum, while errors introduced during the journal's editorial or production process may be addressed through an erratum. The journal may use the general term “Correction” where appropriate.

The Editor-in-Chief will determine whether a correction is sufficient, taking into account the nature and extent of the error and its effect on the interpretation of the research.

Correction notices will identify the affected article, describe the error and its correction, and provide a direct link to the original publication. The article's publication record and relevant metadata will be updated where necessary.

3. Retractions

A published article may be retracted when there is clear evidence that its findings or conclusions are unreliable, or when serious ethical or publication-process violations undermine the integrity of the article.

Grounds for retraction may include, but are not limited to:

  • Fabrication, falsification, or manipulation of research data, images, or results.
  • Plagiarism or substantial unattributed duplication.
  • Redundant or duplicate publication that warrants retraction.
  • Serious violations of research ethics or applicable legal requirements.
  • Manipulation or compromise of the peer-review process.
  • Material authorship irregularities or undisclosed conflicts of interest that seriously undermine the integrity of the publication.
  • Serious errors that invalidate the principal findings or conclusions.

The Editor-in-Chief will assess the evidence and, where appropriate, seek independent expert advice or contact the relevant institution or research-integrity office. Authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond. However, an author's disagreement or failure to respond will not, by itself, prevent the journal from proceeding when the evidence supports retraction.

A retraction notice will clearly identify the affected article and explain the reason for retraction. Where the available evidence permits, the notice will distinguish between honest error and misconduct. The notice will be freely accessible and linked to the original article.

The original article will normally remain accessible in the journal's archive and be clearly marked as retracted. Its bibliographic record will be retained to preserve the scholarly record. The journal will notify relevant indexing and metadata services, where applicable.

4. Expressions of Concern

An Expression of Concern may be issued when substantial questions arise regarding the reliability or integrity of a published article but the available evidence is insufficient to justify an immediate correction or retraction.

This may occur when an investigation is ongoing, evidence remains inconclusive, or an institutional investigation is significantly delayed.

The notice will identify the article, explain the nature of the concern, and be linked to the original publication. The journal will review the case as further evidence becomes available and may subsequently publish a correction, issue a retraction, or conclude that no further action is necessary.

5. Removal of Published Articles

Removal of a published article is an exceptional measure and will be considered only when continued public access to the article presents a compelling legal, privacy, ethical, or other serious risk that cannot adequately be addressed through a correction or retraction notice.

Before removal, the Editor-in-Chief will assess the circumstances and, where appropriate, seek legal advice or consult relevant parties. Removal will be limited to what is necessary to address the identified risk.

Where an article must be removed, the journal will preserve its bibliographic record and, where legally permissible, display a notice identifying the removed article and explaining the reason for removal.

Removal will not ordinarily be granted solely because an author requests it, a disagreement arises among authors, or a financial dispute occurs.

  1. Replacement of Published Articles

Replacement of a published article will be considered only in exceptional circumstances and when permitted by applicable publication ethics guidance.

The Editor-in-Chief will assess whether replacement is appropriate, taking into account the seriousness of the problem, the reliability of the original article, and the potential consequences for readers. A corrected version must not be used to conceal research misconduct or erase the record of a retracted publication.

When replacement is approved, the journal will publish a clear notice identifying the original article, explaining the reason for replacement, and linking the original and replacement versions. The publication history and relevant metadata will be preserved to ensure transparency and traceability.

  1. Investigations and Institutional Communication

When credible allegations of research or publication misconduct arise, the journal will assess the available evidence and may request an explanation from the authors or contact their institutions, research-integrity offices, or other relevant parties where necessary.

All cases will be handled fairly, confidentially where appropriate, and without undue delay. Institutional communication will be proportionate to the concern and supported by a legitimate investigative purpose.

  1. Appeals

Authors may appeal a decision concerning a correction, retraction, Expression of Concern, removal, or replacement by submitting a written explanation and supporting evidence to the editorial office.

Where practicable, the appeal will be reviewed by an editor who was not directly involved in the original decision. The journal may seek independent expert advice when necessary. The outcome will be communicated to the relevant parties.

  1. Reference Guidelines

This policy is implemented in conjunction with the relevant COPE guidance and established publication ethics standards.

COPE: https://publicationethics.org/

The journal may revise this policy as publication ethics standards and relevant guidance evolve.

 

Manuscript Withdrawal Policy

1. General Principles

Agro Bali: Agricultural Journal expects authors to submit original manuscripts that are not simultaneously under consideration by another journal, unless the journals concerned explicitly permit otherwise.

The journal recognizes that legitimate circumstances may require authors to withdraw a manuscript before publication. All withdrawal requests will be handled fairly, transparently, and in accordance with publication ethics principles.

Authors are encouraged to consider their decisions carefully before submission because editorial assessment, peer review, and manuscript processing require time and effort from editors, reviewers, and journal staff.

2. Withdrawal Before Peer Review

An author who wishes to withdraw a manuscript before peer review must submit a written request to the editorial office, stating the reason for withdrawal.

The request should be submitted by the corresponding author on behalf of all co-authors, or accompanied by confirmation that the relevant co-authors have been informed and agree to the request.

The editorial office will acknowledge the request and confirm the withdrawal in writing once the necessary checks have been completed.

3. Withdrawal During Peer Review

Withdrawal requests made after peer review has commenced must include a clear explanation of the reasons for withdrawal.

The Editor-in-Chief or an authorized editor will assess the request and may seek clarification where necessary. Authors are strongly discouraged from withdrawing a manuscript without a valid reason after reviewers have invested time in evaluating it.

Nevertheless, legitimate requests will be considered on their individual merits. The journal will not unreasonably prevent withdrawal when there are valid circumstances or concerns affecting the integrity of the research.

Until written confirmation of withdrawal is received, authors should not assume that the manuscript has been formally withdrawn. Authors must not submit the same manuscript to another journal while it remains under active consideration by Agro Bali: Agricultural Journal, unless explicit written authorization or an applicable agreement permits otherwise.

4. Withdrawal After Acceptance but Before Publication

A request to withdraw an accepted manuscript before publication must be submitted in writing, with an explanation of the reasons and confirmation that the relevant co-authors agree to the request.

The Editor-in-Chief or an authorized editor will consider the production stage, the reasons for withdrawal, and any relevant ethical or contractual obligations before confirming the outcome.

If concerns regarding research integrity arise, the journal may suspend publication while the matter is assessed. Withdrawal will not be used to avoid an investigation into suspected misconduct.

The journal will communicate its decision to the corresponding author in writing.

5. Duplicate or Simultaneous Submission

Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously, without explicit permission from the journals concerned, is contrary to the journal's submission requirements and may constitute a breach of publication ethics.

When credible evidence of duplicate or simultaneous submission arises, the journal may request an explanation from the authors, assess the available evidence, and take appropriate editorial action in accordance with its publication ethics policies and relevant COPE guidance.

Where warranted, the journal may contact the relevant journal or institution to clarify the circumstances and address suspected misconduct.

6. Administrative Charges

The journal does not impose an automatic penalty solely because an author requests withdrawal of a manuscript.

Any administrative charge introduced in the future must be separately established, proportionate, clearly disclosed before submission, and subject to appropriate exceptions and review. No administrative charge will prevent the journal from taking necessary action to protect research integrity.

Disputes over fees will be handled separately from investigations into research or publication ethics.

7. Withdrawal Confirmation and Editorial Records

A manuscript is considered formally withdrawn only after the editorial office has confirmed the withdrawal in writing.

Following confirmation, the journal will update the manuscript's status in its editorial management system and discontinue further editorial processing. The journal may retain the relevant submission and correspondence records for legitimate administrative, audit, or research-integrity purposes, subject to applicable privacy and data-protection requirements.

Withdrawn manuscripts that have not been published will not be presented as published articles in the journal's archive.

8. Appeals

Authors who disagree with a decision concerning a withdrawal request may submit a written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief, providing the reasons and any relevant supporting evidence.

Where practicable, the appeal will be reviewed by an editor who was not directly involved in the original decision. The journal will communicate the outcome to the corresponding author.

9. Reference Guidelines

This policy is implemented in conjunction with the relevant COPE guidance and the journal's submission requirements.

COPE: https://publicationethics.org/

The journal may revise this policy as publication ethics standards and relevant guidance evolve.