Errata, Corrections, and Retractions

Journal Policies

Errata, Corrections & Retractions

 
SFREMS

Overview

 

The Sapientia Filipina: Review of Education and Multidisciplinary Studies (SFREMS) is committed to preserving the accuracy, reliability, transparency, and integrity of the scholarly record. While every manuscript undergoes rigorous editorial assessment and independent peer review prior to publication, errors or ethical concerns may occasionally be identified after publication.

When post-publication issues arise, SFREMS follows fair, transparent, and consistent procedures for issuing errata, corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, or article removals, as appropriate. These actions are intended to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record while ensuring that readers have access to accurate and trustworthy research.

All post-publication decisions are made in accordance with internationally recognized publication ethics standards and are guided by the principles of transparency, accountability, due process, and proportionality.

 

Errata

 

An Erratum is published when an error introduced during the editorial, production, or publishing process affects the accuracy or presentation of a published article but does not alter the validity of its findings or conclusions.

Examples include:

 
Typographical or formatting errors introduced during production;
 
Incorrect author affiliations;
 
Errors in figure or table placement;
 
Production-related citation or reference errors;
 
Minor layout or typesetting mistakes.

When an erratum is issued:

 
The published article will be corrected where appropriate;
 
A separate Erratum Notice will describe the nature of the error and the correction made;
 
The notice will be electronically linked to the original article;
 
The original article will indicate that an erratum has been published;
 
Where applicable, the erratum will receive its own publication details and persistent identifier.
 

Corrections

 

A Correction is published when an error originating from the author(s) requires amendment but does not invalidate the overall findings, interpretation, or conclusions of the research.

Examples include:

 
Minor inaccuracies in reported data;
 
Errors in author information;
 
Incorrect references or citations;
 
Clarification of methodological descriptions;
 
Minor omissions affecting interpretation but not the validity of the research;
 
Errors in acknowledgments, funding disclosures, or conflict of interest statements.

When a correction is issued:

 
The article will be updated where appropriate;
 
A separate Correction Notice will be published;
 
The notice will describe the changes made;
 
The correction notice will remain permanently linked to the original article;
 
The original article will clearly indicate that a correction has been issued.
 

Expressions of Concern

 

An Expression of Concern may be issued when substantial questions arise regarding the integrity, reliability, ethical conduct, or validity of a published article but sufficient evidence is not yet available to determine whether correction or retraction is warranted.

Circumstances that may warrant an Expression of Concern include:

 
Ongoing institutional investigations;
 
Allegations of research misconduct;
 
Concerns regarding data integrity;
 
Potential ethical violations;
 
Undisclosed conflicts of interest under investigation;
 
Questions regarding authorship or contributorship;
 
Possible peer review irregularities;
 
Other unresolved concerns affecting confidence in the published work.

The Expression of Concern will remain associated with the article until the investigation has concluded, after which it may be replaced by a correction, retraction, or removal if appropriate.

 

Retractions

 

A Retraction is issued when a published article is determined to be fundamentally unreliable or when serious breaches of publication ethics have occurred.

Retraction may be considered under circumstances including, but not limited to:

 
Data fabrication or falsification;
 
Major analytical or methodological errors that invalidate the findings;
 
Plagiarism or extensive unattributed text reuse;
 
Duplicate or redundant publication;
 
Fraudulent or inappropriate authorship;
 
Undisclosed conflicts of interest that materially affect the credibility of the research;
 
Manipulation or compromise of the peer review process;
 
Serious ethical violations involving human participants or animals;
 
Deliberate misrepresentation of research findings;
 
Other forms of serious publication misconduct.

When an article is retracted:

 
The article will remain part of the scholarly record whenever legally and ethically appropriate;
 
The article will be clearly identified as Retracted through visible notices or watermarks;
 
A separate Retraction Notice explaining the reasons for retraction will be published;
 
The notice will identify who initiated the retraction (e.g., the authors, editors, or publisher);
 
The retraction notice will remain permanently linked to the original publication.

Retraction notices are intended to preserve transparency while maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record.

 

Article Removal

 

Removal of published content is reserved for exceptional circumstances in which retraction alone is insufficient to address serious legal, ethical, or public safety concerns.

Removal may be considered when:

 
Publication violates applicable laws or court orders;
 
The article contains defamatory or unlawful material;
 
Publication poses a significant risk to public safety;
 
Confidential information has been disclosed unlawfully;
 
Participant privacy cannot be adequately protected through correction or anonymization;
 
Copyright infringement cannot be resolved through other editorial actions.

Where an article is removed:

 
Bibliographic metadata will remain publicly available whenever legally permissible;
 
The full text will be replaced by a removal notice explaining the reason for removal while respecting legal and ethical obligations.
 

Editorial Investigation

 

When concerns regarding a published article are raised, the Editorial Office may:

 
Review the available evidence;
 
Request clarification from the authors;
 
Obtain supporting documentation;
 
Consult peer reviewers or subject experts;
 
Seek guidance from affiliated institutions where appropriate;
 
Conduct an independent editorial investigation.

Investigations are conducted fairly, confidentially, and without prejudice.

Authors are provided an opportunity to respond to allegations before editorial decisions are finalized whenever appropriate.

 

Reporting Concerns

 

Authors, readers, reviewers, editors, institutions, and other stakeholders are encouraged to report suspected errors or publication ethics concerns to the Editorial Office.

Reports should include sufficient information to enable proper evaluation and, where possible, supporting evidence.

All concerns are handled confidentially and investigated objectively.

 

Preservation of the Scholarly Record

 

SFREMS is committed to maintaining a transparent and reliable scholarly record.

Where editorial action becomes necessary, the journal seeks to:

 
Preserve the accessibility of legitimate research;
 
Clearly distinguish corrected or retracted material;
 
Maintain transparency regarding editorial actions;
 
Avoid unnecessary removal of scholarly content whenever correction is sufficient.

Post-publication updates are implemented as promptly as reasonably possible following completion of editorial investigations.

 

Commitment to Research Integrity

 

The Sapientia Filipina: Review of Education and Multidisciplinary Studies (SFREMS) is dedicated to preserving the integrity, reliability, and credibility of the scholarly literature. Through transparent procedures for issuing errata, corrections, expressions of concern, retractions, and article removals, the journal safeguards the accuracy of the academic record while promoting accountability, responsible scholarship, and public trust in multidisciplinary research.

 

Alignment with International Standards

 

This Errata, Corrections, and Retractions Policy has been developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles of publication ethics, editorial responsibility, and post-publication oversight and is aligned with:

COPE

Committee on Publication Ethics

Core Practices

Guidance on corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, post-publication discussions, and maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record.

publicationethics.org →
DOAJ

Directory of Open Access Journals

Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing

Requirements for transparent editorial policies, publication ethics, correction procedures, and responsible open-access publishing.

doaj.org/apply/guide →

SFREMS periodically reviews and updates this Errata, Corrections, and Retractions Policy to ensure continued alignment with evolving international standards for publication ethics, research integrity, editorial transparency, and responsible open-access scholarly publishing.

Sapientia Filipina  ·  Review of Education and Multidisciplinary Studies  ·  NIRD