DOI: https://doi.org/10.35845/kmuj.2020.20256

The Editorial Board of KMUJ upholds the highest standards of research integrity, as consistently emphasized in its past editorials on ethical publication practices. The Board is committed to maintaining the accuracy and credibility of all published content and to notifying readers promptly of any necessary updates or corrections. KMUJ provides an open platform for scholarly dialogue and welcomes responsible correspondence, including letters to the editor or replies that offer constructive or alternative perspectives on published material.

In line with ICMJE recommendations, corrections are issued for verified factual errors. If any instance of error, misconduct, or ethical concern is reported post-publication, the Chief Editor will convene a Publication and Research Integrity Committee, comprising impartial experts, to conduct a thorough and fair investigation. Based on its findings, appropriate actions—such as issuing a correction, expression of concern, or retraction, will be undertaken to ensure the integrity of the scientific record.  

Erratum
An erratum refers to the correction of errors introduced into an article by the journal during the editing or production process, including omissions such as failure to incorporate factual proof corrections requested by the authors within the designated timeframe and according to journal policy.
During the proof stage, KMUJ provides the corresponding author with a final PDF version of the article for review, allowing identification of any errors and approval of the final text prior to publication.
If errors are identified after publication by authors or readers, necessary corrections are made in the online PDF version. Errata are not issued for minor typographical errors that do not affect meaning; however, an erratum is published when an apparently simple error is deemed significant (e.g., a Greek “μ” mistaken for an “m” in a unit, or an incorrect corresponding author’s email). In cases where a major error occurs in a figure or table, a corrected version is published as an erratum. Figures or tables are republished only when the Editor-in-Chief considers such correction essential to the accuracy of the scientific record. 

Corrigendum
A corrigendum refers to a change to their article that the author wishes to publish at any time after acceptance. Corrigenda submitted by the original authors are published if the scientific accuracy or reproducibility of the original paper is compromised. KMUJ will publish corrigenda if there is an error in the published author list, but not usually for overlooked acknowledgements. Authors should contact the editor KMUJ, who will determine the impact of the change and decide on the appropriate course of action.
Readers wishing to draw the journal's attention to a significant published error should submit their comments as a "Letter to the Editor". Such "Letters to the Editor" will be carefully reviewed by unrelated and neutral referees. On editorial acceptance, the paper will be sent to the authors of the original paper to provide an opportunity for their early response.

Addenda
Addenda are judged on the significance of the addition to the interpretation of the original publication. Addenda do not contradict the original publication, but if the authors inadvertently omitted significant information available to them at the time, this material will be published as an addendum after peer review.

 

Expressions of concern
KMUJ may issue an Expression of Concern (EOC) when the editors have credible reasons to believe that an article may contain misleading or unreliable information, but conclusive evidence is not yet available. The purpose of an EOC is to maintain transparency and alert readers to potential issues while ensuring fairness to all parties involved.
An Expression of Concern may be published when:

• The editors receive inconclusive or partial evidence suggesting possible research or publication misconduct by the authors.
• There is evidence indicating unreliable findings, but the authors’ institution declines or fails to conduct an appropriate investigation.
• The editors have reasonable doubts about the fairness, impartiality, or conclusiveness of an institutional investigation related to the article.
• An investigation is ongoing, but its conclusion is expected to take a considerable amount of time.

In such cases, the EOC serves as an interim notification to readers until the matter is fully resolved and a final decision, such as correction, retraction, or dismissal, is made.

Retractions
Papers having serious errors to invalidate a paper's results and conclusions, or publication misconduct may require retraction. Retractions may be requested by an article’s author(s), by an institution, by readers, or by the editor.
As per COPE retraction guidelines, KMUJ will consider retracting a publication if:

• There is a clear evidence that the findings are unreliable, either as a result of major error (e.g., miscalculation or experimental error), or as a result of fabrication (e.g., of data) or falsification (e.g., image manipulation)
• It constitutes plagiarism
• The findings have previously been published elsewhere without proper attribution to previous sources or disclosure to the editor, permission to republish, or justification (i.e., cases of redundant publication)
• It contains material or data without authorization for use
• Copyright has been infringed or there is some other serious legal issue
• It reports unethical research
• It has been published solely on the basis of a compromised or manipulated peer review process
• The author(s) failed to disclose a major competing interest (conflict of interest) that, in the view of the editor, would have unduly affected interpretations of the work or recommendations by editors and peer reviewers.

At times the article may occasionally be retracted for correction of errors in submission or publication and will be replaced with the corrected one.

Retraction Process

KMUJ adopts the following retraction process to ensure best practice of retraction:

1. An article requiring potential retraction is brought to the attention of KMUJ editor.
2. KMUJ editor should follow the step-by-step guidelines according to the COPE flowcharts and will seek the response from the author of the article as well.
3. KMUJ Publication & Research Integrity Committee will evaluate the evidence of the misconduct and response of the authors. Based on the findings, committee will recommend a final decision whether to retract the publication or otherwise.
4. The final decision is then communicated to the author and, if necessary, any other relevant bodies, such as the author's institution as deemed appropriate.
5. The retraction-note titled “Retraction: [article title]” will be published with its own DOI, in the paginated part of a subsequent issue of the journal and listed in the contents list.
6. The text of the retraction should explain why the article is being retracted.
7. The statement of retraction and the original article must be clearly linked in the electronic database so that the retraction will always be apparent to anyone who comes across the original article.
8. The relevant changes in the online version will be reflected through CrossMark icon.

CROSSMARK
CrossMark is a multi-publisher initiative from CrossRef to provide a standard way for readers to locate the current version of a piece of content. By applying the CrossMark logo, Khyber Medical University Journal is committing to maintaining the content it publishes, and to alerting readers to changes if and when they occur.
Clicking on the CrossMark icon will show the current status of a document and may also provide additional publication record information about the document.
CrossMark status will be kept as current, if:

• Minor changes(like correcting formatting and spelling), with no substantive changes to alert the reader
• The changes that don’t affect the crediting or interpretation of the work,
• The changes between versions of a work don’t reflect major changes in the content of the paper

CrossMark status of the work will be affected in case of major substantial changes like:

• The retraction of an article due to an error, or
• The changes between versions of a work does reflect major changes in the content of the paper
• A correction to an author’s name.

The KMUJ content that will have the CrossMark icon is restricted to current and future journal content.