Retraction Policy

CREATE: Contemporary Research in Education and Teaching is committed to maintaining the integrity, reliability, and transparency of the scholarly record. The journal recognizes that the publication of accurate and ethically responsible research is essential to the advancement of educational knowledge and practice. This Retraction Policy establishes the principles and procedures for correcting or retracting published articles when substantial concerns arise regarding their validity, originality, ethical compliance, or publication integrity.

This policy is informed by internationally recognized publication ethics principles, including the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Retraction is intended primarily to correct the scholarly record and alert readers to publications whose findings or conclusions can no longer be considered reliable. It is not intended solely as a punitive measure against authors.

CREATE may consider retracting a published article when a formal assessment provides sufficient evidence that the publication is seriously unreliable, misleading, or affected by a substantial breach of research or publication ethics. Grounds for retraction may include, but are not limited to, the following circumstances:

1. Clear evidence that the research findings or conclusions are unreliable because of major errors, data fabrication, data falsification, image manipulation, or other serious methodological or analytical problems.
2. Substantial plagiarism, unauthorized use of research materials, or significant overlap with previously published work without appropriate attribution, permission, or justification.
3. Duplicate or redundant publication that violates accepted scholarly publishing standards and materially compromises the integrity of the publication record.
4. Evidence that the research was conducted or reported in violation of applicable ethical requirements, including the absence of necessary ethical approval or consent where required.
5. Compromised, fraudulent, or manipulated peer review that materially undermines confidence in the editorial assessment and publication decision.
6. Undisclosed conflicts of interest or other serious ethical or legal concerns that materially affect the interpretation, credibility, or reliability of the published work.
7. Other substantiated forms of research or publication misconduct that cause the Editor-in-Chief to lose confidence in the reliability or integrity of the article.

A retraction investigation may be initiated following concerns raised by authors, readers, reviewers, editors, research institutions, funders, or other credible sources. All allegations will be assessed carefully and objectively. The journal will consider the available evidence, the seriousness of the concern, and its potential impact on the reliability of the published article.

Where appropriate, the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor may request an explanation from the authors and seek relevant supporting documentation. The journal may also contact the authors' affiliated institutions or other appropriate bodies when further investigation is necessary. Authors will ordinarily be given a reasonable opportunity to respond to the concerns, subject to circumstances in which immediate action is necessary to protect readers or the scholarly record.

The final decision will be made by the Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately authorized editor on the basis of the available evidence, editorial independence, and applicable publication ethics standards. Editors with a personal, professional, or financial conflict of interest in the case must not participate in the decision. The journal will seek to handle all cases confidentially, fairly, and without unnecessary delay.

When a retraction is justified, CREATE will publish a formal retraction notice as promptly as reasonably possible after the decision has been made. The notice will be freely accessible and clearly distinguishable from other editorial communications. It will provide sufficient factual information to explain the reason for the retraction without making unsupported or unnecessarily accusatory statements.

The retraction notice will, as appropriate:

1. Clearly use the term "Retraction" in its title.
2. Identify the retracted article by its title, authors, publication details, and DOI where available.
3. Explain the principal reasons for retraction and distinguish, where established, between honest error and research or publication misconduct.
4. Identify the party issuing the retraction, such as the journal, the authors, or both, as applicable.
5. Provide a direct link to the original article and ensure that the notice is discoverable by readers and indexing services.

To preserve the transparency and traceability of the scholarly record, a retracted article will generally remain available in the journal's online archive rather than being silently removed. Its retracted status will be clearly indicated on the article landing page and, where technically feasible, on the full-text HTML and PDF versions. A visible retraction statement or watermark may be applied to the article files, and the retraction notice will be linked to the original publication.

The journal will take reasonable steps to ensure that relevant metadata and publication records are updated and that indexing or abstracting services are informed when appropriate. Retraction does not necessarily mean that every statement in an article is incorrect; it means that the publication has a serious problem requiring a clear warning to readers.

Not every error or concern requires retraction. When an identified problem is limited in scope and does not invalidate the overall reliability of the article, CREATE may publish a correction, corrigendum, or other appropriate editorial notice. The choice of action will depend on the nature and seriousness of the problem and its effect on the published findings.

If substantial concerns arise but the available evidence is inconclusive, or an investigation is ongoing and cannot be completed promptly, the journal may publish an Expression of Concern. Such a notice will inform readers of the issue while allowing the investigation to proceed. The journal may subsequently update the notice or take further action when additional evidence becomes available.

Authors are expected to cooperate in good faith with investigations concerning their published work, provide relevant information when requested, and promptly notify the journal if they identify substantial errors that may affect the reliability of their findings or conclusions. Authors may submit a reasoned response and supporting evidence during the investigation.

An author's disagreement with a retraction decision, or refusal to consent to retraction, does not automatically prevent the journal from proceeding when the evidence supports that action. Any response from the authors will be considered fairly and documented as appropriate. The journal will distinguish evidence-based findings from unresolved allegations and will avoid treating an allegation alone as proof of misconduct.

Decisions concerning corrections, Expressions of Concern, and retractions will be based on the evidence, the reliability of the research, and the principles of publication ethics. Such decisions will not be influenced by commercial interests, institutional pressure, personal relationships, author reputation, or the potential impact on the journal's standing.

CREATE aims to handle all post-publication concerns consistently, proportionately, and transparently. The journal may revise its procedures when necessary to remain aligned with recognized publication ethics guidance and developments in scholarly publishing.

This policy is informed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), particularly its Retraction Guidelines . CREATE will consider relevant COPE recommendations when assessing suspected publication misconduct and determining appropriate post-publication action.