Corrections, Restrictions, Expression of Concern
The Caucasus Journal of Social Sciences (CJSS) is committed to maintaining the integrity, accuracy, and transparency of the scholarly record. This page outlines the journal’s approach to post-publication updates, including corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, and article withdrawal. The journal follows the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and recognized standards of good publishing practice.
Contents
Corrections
Corrections are issued when errors are identified in a published article that affect the accuracy, clarity, or integrity of the work but do not invalidate its overall findings or conclusions.
Corrections may be issued for matters such as errors in data presentation, analysis, or interpretation that may mislead readers; omission or misstatement of funding information, acknowledgements, ethical approvals, or conflicts of interest; and errors in author names, affiliations, references, figures, tables, or metadata that affect attribution or discoverability.
Minor typographical or formatting errors that do not affect the meaning or interpretation of the article are generally not subject to formal correction.
All corrections are published promptly, clearly identified, and permanently linked to the original article. The original article remains accessible, together with a transparent record of the correction.
Retractions
Retractions are issued when a published article is found to be fundamentally unreliable and should no longer be regarded as part of the valid scholarly record. The Caucasus Journal of Social Sciences handles retractions in accordance with COPE Retraction Guidelines.
Retraction may be considered in cases involving clear evidence that the findings are unreliable because of honest error, such as major miscalculation or serious methodological flaws, or because of research misconduct, including fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism. Retraction may also be necessary in cases of redundant or duplicate publication without appropriate disclosure or justification, serious breaches of research or publication ethics, or manipulation of the peer-review or publication process.
Retraction Notices
Retraction notices are published to ensure transparency and to inform readers clearly about the status of the affected article.
A retraction notice will clearly identify the retracted article, including its title, authors, and citation details. It will state the reason or reasons for retraction in a factual, neutral, and non-defamatory manner, and it will indicate whether the retraction has been initiated by the authors, the editors, or the publisher.
Retraction notices are published promptly, made freely accessible, and permanently linked to the original article. The retracted article remains available online in order to preserve the scholarly record, but it is clearly marked as Retracted on every page.
Expressions of Concern
An Expression of Concern may be issued when there are serious and well-founded concerns about the integrity, reliability, or ethical basis of a published article, but the available evidence is inconclusive or an investigation is still ongoing.
An Expression of Concern may be published when an institutional or editorial investigation has begun but has not yet reached a conclusion, when credible allegations of misconduct require further verification, or when essential information needed to assess the validity of the work is unavailable or substantially delayed.
Expressions of Concern are clearly labeled, indexed, and linked to the original article. They remain part of the publication record until a final decision is reached, whether that outcome is a correction, retraction, or no further action.
Withdrawal of Articles
Article withdrawal applies only to manuscripts that have been accepted but have not yet been formally published as the Version of Record.
Withdrawal may take place in cases such as accidental duplicate submission or publication, ethical concerns identified before formal publication, or administrative or technical errors that make publication inappropriate.
Withdrawal of a published Version of Record is exceptional and will only be considered in rare circumstances, such as legal requirements or serious risks arising from continued public availability, in line with COPE recommendations.
Editorial Oversight and Transparency
All post-publication actions are handled by the editorial team with due process, fairness, and appropriate confidentiality. Decisions are made with careful consideration of the available evidence and, where relevant, in consultation with authors, reviewers, institutions, or other appropriate parties.
The journal is committed to transparent editorial decision-making, maintaining a clear record of post-publication changes, and ensuring that corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern are visible, accessible, and properly linked to the original article.
Reporting Concerns
Readers, authors, reviewers, and institutions who identify possible errors or ethical concerns in published content are encouraged to contact the editorial office and provide supporting information. All reports are treated seriously and examined in accordance with the journal’s ethical procedures and COPE guidance.
For such matters, please contact the journal at: cjss_editor@ug.edu.ge
