Corrections, retractions & expressions of concern

Which mechanism applies

Following COPE guidance, the mechanism depends on whether the problem affects the reliability of the findings:

• Correction (erratum / corrigendum) — a small portion of an otherwise reliable article is misleading or wrong (for example, an error in an author list, a mislabelled figure, a numerical error that does not change the conclusions, an omitted funding or conflict-of-interest statement, or an incomplete AI-use disclosure). The findings themselves remain trustworthy. Conventionally, an erratum corrects errors introduced by the journal and a corrigendum corrects errors made by the authors; both are free of charge and handled identically.
• Retraction — the findings are unreliable, or the article should not have been published. Grounds include: unreliable results (from major error, fabrication, or falsification, including image and data manipulation), plagiarism, redundant (duplicate) publication, unauthorised use of material or data, copyright infringement or other serious legal issue, research conducted without required ethical approval, compromised or manipulated peer review, and undisclosed major conflicts of interest that unduly influenced the work. Retraction is not a punishment — it is a correction of the record.
• Expression of concern — editors have well-founded concerns but no conclusive evidence yet, typically while an institutional investigation is ongoing, inconclusive, or unreasonably delayed. An expression of concern alerts readers and may later be followed by a correction, a retraction, or a notice resolving the concern.
• Article removal — reserved for rare, extreme circumstances (for example, a court order or content posing a serious safety risk). Even then, the bibliographic metadata (title and authors) is retained with a notice explaining the removal.

How the version of record is marked

Transparency requires that readers can always tell what happened:

• A correction, retraction, or expression of concern is published as a separate, citable notice with its own DOI, appearing in the journal and linked bidirectionally with the article.
• A retracted article is watermarked "RETRACTED" on every page of the PDF and clearly labelled in the HTML version and on the article page; the title is prefixed "RETRACTED:".
• The retraction notice states who is retracting (the editors, the authors, or both) and why, in clear, factual, non-defamatory language, and distinguishes honest error from misconduct where established.
• The original article remains accessible so that the record stays complete; it is never quietly deleted.
• Updated metadata is distributed through Crossref (including Crossmark-style update linking) so that indexing services and reference managers can flag the change.

Raising a concern

Concerns about a published article may be raised by anyone — authors, readers, reviewers, institutions, or funders — and anonymous concerns are assessed on their merits:

• Authors who discover a significant error in their own work should contact the journal promptly. Author-initiated corrections and retractions of honest errors are handled without prejudice and reflect well on the authors.
• Readers and other parties should email Support@lumora.sa with the article DOI, a description of the concern, and any supporting evidence. Concerns are treated confidentially.

Process and timeline

1. Acknowledgement — we acknowledge receipt of a concern promptly, normally within one week.
2. Initial assessment — the handling editors evaluate whether the concern is specific and substantiated enough to pursue, consulting COPE flowcharts.
3. Author response — the authors are given the opportunity to respond to the concern with a reasonable deadline. Investigations proceed even if authors do not respond.
4. Investigation — the editors may consult reviewers, statistical or image experts, and, where misconduct is possible, refer the matter to the authors' institution while keeping oversight of the publication decision.
5. Decision and notice — the editors decide on no action, correction, expression of concern, or retraction, and publish the appropriate linked notice. We aim to resolve straightforward corrections within weeks; complex integrity cases may take longer, in which case an expression of concern may be published in the interim.

Editorial decisions on the record are made independently of the authors' agreement: where authors do not consent to a warranted retraction, the notice will say so.

Appeals

Authors may appeal a decision to correct, retract, or issue an expression of concern by writing to Support@lumora.sa within 30 days of notification, setting out the grounds and any new evidence. Appeals are considered by editors not involved in the original decision. One appeal is considered per decision, and the outcome is final. The process follows COPE's guidance on appeals and complaints.

Related principles

• Corrections and retraction notices are always free of charge and always open access; the APC is not refunded on retraction (see APC Information).
• Integrity investigations follow our Publication Ethics policy and COPE guidance, including fair treatment of all parties.
• Retracted articles remain preserved under our Archiving & Preservation Policy, carrying their retraction marking.
• For medical and clinical content, our handling is also informed by ICMJE recommendations on corrections and the integrity of the record.

Last updated: July 2026 · Related: Publication Ethics, Peer Review Policy, Archiving & Preservation, All Policies