Retraction, Corrections, and Research Integrity Policy

The Editorial Board of “Chemistry, Physics and Technology of Surface” is committed to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record. The journal follows internationally recognized standards of publication ethics and editorial responsibility, including the recommendations and Core Practices of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

The journal reserves the right to publish corrections, expressions of concern, editorial notes, or retractions when necessary to preserve the accuracy and integrity of published research.

 

Corrections and Errors

The journal may publish corrections (Errata or Corrigenda) if a published article contains errors that affect the accuracy, clarity, or completeness of the publication but do not compromise the scientific integrity or overall conclusions of the work.

Corrections may include, but are not limited to:

  • typographical or formatting errors;
  • errors in author names, affiliations, or acknowledgements;
  • inaccuracies in figures, tables, or references;
  • minor methodological or data presentation errors;
  • omissions affecting interpretation of the article.

Requests for corrections may be initiated by authors, readers, reviewers, editors, or institutions.

All corrections:

  • are reviewed by the Editorial Office;
  • are approved by the Editor-in-Chief;
  • are published promptly;
  • are electronically linked to the original article;
  • remain permanently accessible online.

The corrected version of the article may include a notice indicating that a correction has been published.

 

Retraction Policy

The journal may retract a published article if there is clear evidence that the findings or conclusions are unreliable, misleading, unethical, or constitute serious violations of publication ethics.

Retractions may occur in cases including, but not limited to:

  • plagiarism or substantial text duplication;
  • duplicate or redundant publication;
  • data fabrication or falsification;
  • image manipulation affecting scientific interpretation;
  • unethical research practices;
  • unauthorized use of data or materials;
  • manipulated peer review;
  • significant undisclosed conflicts of interest;
  • serious methodological errors invalidating conclusions;
  • authorship manipulation or fraudulent citation practices.

Retraction decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief in consultation with the Editorial Board and, where appropriate, external experts or institutional representatives.

Retractions are published in accordance with the COPE Retraction Guidelines and are intended to correct the scholarly record rather than serve as punitive measures.

The journal follows the recommendations of:

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE): https://publicationethics.org/

COPE Guidelines for Retraction of Articles: https://publicationethics.org/retraction-guidelines

 

Retraction Procedure

When allegations or concerns regarding a published article are received, the journal conducts an editorial assessment and, if necessary, a formal investigation.

The procedure generally includes:

  1. preliminary evaluation of the allegation;
  2. communication with the corresponding author;
  3. requests for clarification, raw data, or supporting materials;
  4. consultation with reviewers, editors, or independent experts where necessary;
  5. communication with authors’ institutions when appropriate;
  6. final editorial decision based on available evidence and ethical standards.

Authors are given an opportunity to respond to all allegations before a final decision is made.

The journal aims to conduct investigations fairly, objectively, confidentially, and within a reasonable timeframe.

 

Retraction Notices and Article Status

Retraction notices are published to ensure transparency and preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

A retraction notice:

  • clearly identifies the retracted article;
  • states the reason(s) for retraction;
  • specifies who initiated the retraction;
  • is freely accessible online;
  • is linked to the original publication.

Retracted articles remain available online and are clearly marked as “Retracted” on every page of the PDF and HTML versions.

The journal does not remove published articles from its archive except in exceptional legal circumstances, including court orders, defamation, breaches of confidentiality, or serious legal risks.

 

Expressions of Concern

The journal may publish an Expression of Concern if:

  • an investigation into potential misconduct is ongoing;
  • evidence of research or publication misconduct is inconclusive;
  • institutional investigations are delayed or unavailable;
  • serious concerns exist regarding the reliability of a publication.

Expressions of Concern may later be replaced by a correction, retraction, or editorial statement depending on the outcome of the investigation.

 

Article Withdrawal Before Publication

Articles accepted for publication but not yet formally published may be withdrawn in cases including:

  • accidental duplication;
  • serious editorial or production errors;
  • ethical violations identified before publication;
  • author-requested withdrawal with justified reasons.

The Editorial Office reserves the right to determine whether withdrawal is appropriate.

 

Research Misconduct

The journal takes allegations of research and publication misconduct seriously.

Research misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • citation manipulation;
  • data fabrication or falsification;
  • unethical experimentation;
  • peer review manipulation;
  • copyright infringement;
  • undisclosed conflicts of interest.

Suspected misconduct may be reported by editors, reviewers, readers, or institutions.

The journal may use plagiarism detection software and other editorial tools during evaluation and post-publication review processes.

 

Editorial Responsibility and Ethical Oversight

Editors are responsible for:

  • ensuring editorial independence;
  • maintaining confidentiality;
  • preventing conflicts of interest;
  • responding appropriately to ethical complaints;
  • ensuring fair and unbiased editorial decisions.

The journal supports the principles and recommendations of:

 

Policy Updates

The Editorial Board reserves the right to revise and update this policy in accordance with developments in international publication ethics, editorial standards, and COPE recommendations.

 

Last updated: 2026