Retraction

Authors are strongly discouraged from withdrawing a manuscript once it has entered the publication process (i.e., review, copyediting, layout, etc.), as Contemporary Public Administration Review (CoPAR) invests considerable time and editorial resources during these stages.

The editors of CoPAR may consider retracting a publication if:

  • There is clear evidence that the findings are unreliable, either due to a significant error (e.g., miscalculation or experimental mistake) or misconduct (e.g., data fabrication or image manipulation);

  • The manuscript constitutes plagiarism;

  • The findings have been published previously without proper acknowledgment of the original source, disclosure to the editor, or appropriate justification (i.e., redundant publication);

  • The content includes materials or data used without proper authorization;

  • There is a copyright violation or another serious legal issue (e.g., defamation, breach of privacy);

  • The study involves unethical research practices;

  • The article was published as a result of a compromised or manipulated peer review process;

  • The author(s) failed to disclose a significant conflict of interest that may have affected the interpretation or editorial judgment of the work.

Retraction notices will:

  • Be clearly linked to the retracted article in all available online formats;

  • Clearly identify the retracted article, including title and authors;

  • Be explicitly labeled as a retraction (to distinguish it from other types of corrections or commentary);

  • Be issued promptly to limit potential negative impact;

  • Be freely accessible to all readers, without paywalls;

  • State the individual or group initiating the retraction;

  • Provide a clear and factual explanation for the retraction;

  • Be presented in an objective, professional manner without inflammatory language.

Retractions are generally not appropriate in cases where:

  • Authorship is disputed, but the reliability of the findings remains intact;

  • The core findings are valid and any errors can be corrected;

  • There is insufficient evidence to support a retraction, or the journal is awaiting the outcome of an investigation;

  • A conflict of interest is disclosed after publication, but in the editor’s judgment, it is unlikely to have influenced the article’s conclusions or recommendations.

The editors of CoPAR may consider issuing an Expression of Concern when:

  • There is inconclusive evidence of misconduct;

  • The findings appear unreliable, but no institutional investigation is being conducted;

  • There are concerns that an investigation into alleged misconduct was, or would be, unfair, biased, or incomplete;

  • An investigation is ongoing but may not conclude for an extended period.

The editors may issue a Correction if:

  • A small part of an otherwise reliable article is found to be misleading due to an honest mistake;

  • There are errors in the author or contributor list (e.g., an author was omitted or someone was listed who does not meet authorship criteria).

All procedures related to retractions, corrections, and expressions of concern follow the guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).