RECTRACTION AND WITHDRAWAL

1. Introduction

Window of Midwifery Journal (WoMJ) is committed to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record. The journal follows established publication ethics principles when handling requests for manuscript withdrawal and cases requiring the correction or retraction of published articles.

Retraction and withdrawal decisions are made carefully, fairly, and transparently, taking into account the available evidence, the interests of authors and readers, and the potential impact on the scientific record.

2. Manuscript Withdrawal

Manuscript withdrawal refers to the removal of a submitted manuscript before its formal publication.

Authors may request withdrawal when a legitimate reason exists, such as the discovery of substantial errors in the submitted work, ethical concerns, duplicate submission, or other circumstances that make continued consideration inappropriate.

Withdrawal requests must be submitted in writing by the corresponding author to the editorial office through the journal's official communication channel. The request must state the reason for withdrawal and, where applicable, include confirmation that all co-authors agree with the decision.

The editorial team will review the request and determine the appropriate action. Authors must not submit the same manuscript to another journal while it remains under consideration by WoMJ.

If a manuscript has already entered peer review or reached an advanced stage of editorial processing, the journal may request additional clarification before approving withdrawal.

Unjustified withdrawal after substantial editorial or peer-review work has been completed may be considered in accordance with the journal's editorial policies.

3. Retraction of Published Articles

Retraction refers to the formal withdrawal of a published article from the scholarly record when its findings or publication integrity are substantially compromised.

WoMJ may consider retracting an article when there is reliable evidence of:

1. Significant errors that invalidate the findings or conclusions.

2. Fabrication or falsification of research data.

3. Plagiarism or substantial unattributed use of others' work.

4. Duplicate or redundant publication.

5. Serious breaches of research ethics, including the absence of required ethical approval or consent where applicable.

6. Manipulation of the peer-review or publication process.

7. Undisclosed conflicts of interest that materially affect the integrity or interpretation of the research.

8. Other forms of serious publication misconduct that undermine the reliability of the scholarly record.

Retraction will not be used solely to resolve authorship disputes, express disagreement with findings, or address minor errors that can be corrected through a formal correction notice.

4. Retraction Procedure

When a potential reason for retraction is identified, the editorial team will assess the available evidence and may request an explanation from the corresponding author and other relevant parties.

Where appropriate, the journal may consult independent experts, the authors' institutions, research ethics committees, or other relevant organizations.

Authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond to the concerns raised. However, the journal may proceed with appropriate editorial action when the available evidence justifies it, even if an author does not respond.

The final decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately designated editor, in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policies and the principles of procedural fairness.

5. Publication of Retraction Notices

When an article is retracted, WoMJ will publish a clear and identifiable retraction notice explaining the reason for retraction to the extent that can be established and disclosed appropriately.

The retraction notice will be linked to the original article, and the original article will remain accessible where possible, clearly marked as retracted to preserve the transparency of the scholarly record.

The journal will update the article's online record and relevant metadata and notify applicable indexing or archiving services when necessary.

Retraction notices will be published promptly after the decision has been finalized and the necessary editorial procedures have been completed.

6. Corrections and Expressions of Concern

Not every problem requires retraction. When an error affects only part of an article and does not invalidate its overall findings, WoMJ may publish a correction or corrigendum.

If serious concerns arise but the available evidence is insufficient to reach a final conclusion, the journal may publish an expression of concern while further investigation is undertaken.

The choice between correction, expression of concern, and retraction depends on the nature, severity, and implications of the identified problem.

7. Responsibilities of Authors

Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, originality, ethical compliance, and integrity of their submitted and published work.

Authors who discover significant errors or ethical concerns in their published articles should promptly notify the editorial office and cooperate with any investigation or corrective action.

Authors must provide accurate information, relevant supporting documents, and a timely response when the journal requests clarification.

8. Responsibilities of the Editorial Team

The editorial team is responsible for assessing concerns objectively, maintaining confidentiality where appropriate, documenting relevant decisions, and ensuring that editorial actions are proportionate to the evidence.

WoMJ will not make retraction decisions solely on the basis of unverified allegations or automated detection results. The journal will seek a fair assessment of the available evidence and provide appropriate opportunities for relevant parties to respond.

9. Record Keeping and Transparency

WoMJ will maintain appropriate records of withdrawal requests, investigations, editorial decisions, corrections, expressions of concern, and retraction notices.

The journal aims to ensure that any action affecting the publication record is clearly communicated to readers and handled in a manner that protects the integrity of scholarly communication.

10. Policy Review

This policy may be reviewed periodically to remain consistent with developments in scholarly publishing ethics and recognized publication standards. All authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to comply with the applicable policies of Window of Midwifery Journal.