CIJFMR is responsible for the integrity of the scholarly record. Once published, an article is part of that record and the Journal does not silently alter or delete it. Where a published article contains an error, or its reliability is in doubt, the Journal publishes a notice so that readers can see what changed and why. This policy follows COPE's retraction guidelines.

1. Minor changes shortly after publication

The Journal may correct typographical and formatting errors that do not affect the meaning or scholarly content of an article within seven days of its online publication, without a formal notice. Any later change follows the procedures below.

2. Correction (erratum or corrigendum)

The Journal publishes a correction where a significant part of an article contains an error that does not undermine its overall findings or conclusions, such as an incorrect citation, a mistake in a table, an incorrect author name or affiliation, or an omitted funding statement. An error introduced by the Journal during production is corrected by an erratum; an error made by the authors is corrected by a corrigendum. The correction is published as a notice linked to the original article, and the article page shows that a correction exists.

3. Retraction

The Journal retracts an article where:

  • there is clear evidence that its findings or arguments are unreliable, through misconduct (such as data fabrication) or honest error;
  • it involves plagiarism or text recycling beyond acceptable limits;
  • it has been published elsewhere without disclosure (redundant publication);
  • it contains material reproduced without authorisation;
  • it reports research conducted without required ethics approval or consent;
  • its authorship has been manipulated, or it was produced by a paper mill; or
  • its peer review was compromised.

Procedure.

  1. The Journal investigates under its Publication ethics and malpractice statement and invites the authors to respond.
  2. The Editor-in-Chief decides whether to retract, after consulting the editorial board where appropriate.
  3. The article remains online, clearly marked "Retracted", with a retraction notice on its page that gives the date and the reason.
  4. The corresponding author is informed, and the certificates of publication issued for the article are revoked; the certificate verification page then shows them as no longer valid.
  5. Where the article has a DOI, its metadata is updated.

Authors may request the retraction of their own article; the Journal considers such requests on the same criteria.

4. Expression of concern

The Journal may publish an expression of concern where there is credible evidence of a problem but an investigation is ongoing or inconclusive, or where an investigation by the authors' institution is unlikely to reach a fair or timely conclusion. The notice is linked to the article and later replaced or supplemented by a correction, a retraction or a statement that the concern has been resolved.

5. Removal

In rare cases the Journal may remove an article's content from the website, leaving only its bibliographic details and a notice of removal. It does so only where the article is clearly defamatory or infringes the legal rights of others; is the subject of a court order; could pose a serious risk to health or safety if acted upon; or discloses personal data without lawful basis.

6. Addenda and comments

Where authors wish to add information that clarifies an article without correcting an error, the Journal may publish an addendum after editorial review. Readers who wish to respond to a published article may submit a comment, which, if accepted, is reviewed and published with an opportunity for the authors to reply.

7. Withdrawal before publication

Authors may withdraw a manuscript before acceptance by writing to the editorial office with the reference number and a brief reason. Withdrawal after acceptance requires the editor's agreement. After publication, the procedures above apply.

8. How to report an error

Authors and readers can report an error in a published article by writing to editor@cijfmr.com with the article's title and link, a description of the error and any supporting evidence. The Journal acknowledges reports within five working days.