Correction, Withdrawal, and Retraction

Last Updated: May 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58920/etflin.crossmark.policy

ETFLIN is dedicated to maintaining the permanent integrity and accuracy of the scholarly record. Our commitment to editorial quality is supported by the Crossmark service, a standard developed by Crossref that allows readers to quickly verify the current status of a document. Through the Crossmark system, we ensure that any updates, corrections, or retractions are promptly recorded and visible to the scientific community.

Corrections and Retractions

In the event that significant errors are identified post-publication, we act decisively to maintain transparencyy. Corrections are issued promptly for genuine errors with a clear explanation, often utilizing footnotes or dedicated correction notices to ensure updated information reaches all stakeholders.

Retractions, however, are reserved for the most serious cases, such as significant research errors, plagiarism, or professional misconduct. In such instances, the retraction notice will provide a detailed rationale, and authors are typically granted the opportunity to respond before final dissemination.

In cases where concerns are raised but investigations are still ongoing, ETFLIN may issue an Expression of Concern to alert readers to potentially unreliable content while maintaining procedural fairness. Such notices will remain associated with the article until a final editorial decision has been reached.

All corrections, retractions, withdrawals, and editorial notices will remain permanently linked to the original article metadata and DOI to preserve the integrity and transparency of the scholarly record. ETFLIN follows international publication ethics standards and may consult guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and Crossref when handling complex post-publication issues.

Articles that are retracted will not be removed from the journal website except in extraordinary legal or ethical circumstances. Instead, the article will remain accessible with a clear watermark, header, or editorial notice indicating its retracted status to ensure transparency and prevent misleading citation practices.

Paper Withdrawal and Ethics

ETFLIN values the integrity of the scholarly record and the labor of our editorial board. We recognize that science is an evolving process and that legitimate reasons for withdrawal exist. However, withdrawals based on career opportunism or ethical bypasses will result in administrative sanctions.

Withdrawal requests must be submitted formally by the corresponding author and include a clear explanation of the reason for withdrawal. In cases involving multiple authors, ETFLIN reserves the right to request written confirmation from all co-authors before processing the request. Manuscripts may not be considered withdrawn until official confirmation has been issued by the Editorial Office.

If a manuscript is withdrawn after substantial editorial processing, peer review, copyediting, or layout preparation has commenced, the journal may impose administrative restrictions or additional measures deemed necessary to protect editorial resources and publication ethics.

Classification of Withdrawal Reasons

The Editor-in-Chief will categorize withdrawal requests into the following levels to determine the appropriate course of action:

Level 1: Justified (No Penalty)

Unresolved Authorship Dispute: A legitimate disagreement regarding contribution that cannot be resolved through mediation.

Institutional Request: A formal request from the authors' university or funding body based on newly discovered compliance issues.

Level 2: Low-Moderate (Maximum 2-Year Suspension)

Process Dissatisfaction: Withdrawing due to impatience with the peer-review timeline (provided the journal is within its stated turnaround times).

Lack of Resources: Withdrawing because the authors can no longer pay the Article Processing Charge (APC) after previously agreeing to it.

Level 3: Severe (Lifetime Ban)

Feedback Exploitation: Withdrawing after receiving comprehensive peer-review comments to "upgrade" the paper for a higher-tier journal using ETFLIN's resources.

Ethical Concealment: Attempting to withdraw a paper once the Editorial Board has raised questions about data fabrication, plagiarism, or lack of IRB approval.

Any attempt to manipulate the editorial process, provide misleading information, submit falsified documents, or intentionally delay editorial decisions for strategic publication purposes may result in immediate rejection, suspension, or permanent blacklisting from future submissions to ETFLIN journals. 

 The final decision regarding corrections, withdrawals, retractions, editorial notices, and sanctions rests with the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board following an internal ethical assessment and, where necessary, consultation with relevant institutions or ethics bodies.