Retraction policy

Zakariya Journal of Social Sciences (ZJSS) is committed to maintaining the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the scholarly record. The journal follows transparent procedures for handling corrections, retractions, and expressions of concern in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices and Guidelines.

Corrections

ZJSS may publish corrections when errors are identified in a published article that do not affect the overall validity or integrity of the research.

Corrections may include:

• Errors in author information.
• Minor mistakes in data, figures, tables, or text.
• Incorrect affiliations or acknowledgments.
• Other unintentional errors requiring clarification.

Corrections are published transparently and linked to the original article to maintain the accuracy of the academic record.

Retraction of Articles

A published article may be retracted when serious issues are identified that affect the reliability, validity, or ethical standing of the research.

Reasons for retraction may include:

• Plagiarism or duplicate publication.
• Fabrication or falsification of data.
• Major errors that invalidate research findings.
• Unethical research practices.
• Manipulation of the peer review process.
• Authorship disputes or serious publication misconduct.

Retraction Process

When a potential issue is reported, ZJSS will:

• Investigate the concern carefully and fairly.
• Review available evidence and consult relevant experts when required.
• Contact authors for clarification.
• Take appropriate action based on the findings.

If retraction is necessary, the journal will publish a clear retraction notice explaining the reason for the action. The original article will remain accessible with a clear retraction label to preserve the transparency of the scholarly record.

Expression of Concern

ZJSS may issue an Expression of Concern when there is a serious unresolved issue regarding a published article, but insufficient evidence is available for immediate correction or retraction.

The expression remains linked to the original article until a final decision is reached.

Author and Reader Responsibilities

Authors, reviewers, editors, and readers are encouraged to report suspected errors, ethical concerns, or research misconduct related to published articles.

All reported concerns will be reviewed confidentially and handled according to ethical publishing standards.

Post-Retraction Access

Retracted articles will remain available for academic record purposes but will be clearly marked as "Retracted Article". Retraction notices will remain permanently linked to the original publication.