Crossmark Policy

1. Introduction

AkiNik Publications is committed to maintaining the integrity and reliability of the scholarly record. This page describes our policies and procedures for handling corrections, retractions, withdrawals, and other post-publication updates to content published in our journals.

This policy applies to all peer-reviewed journals published by AkiNik Publications. When a published article requires any form of update, we follow the guidelines recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the standards set by Crossref for the Crossmark service.

Readers who click the Crossmark button on any of our articles will be directed to the most current information about that article, including any corrections, retractions, or updates that have been issued.

2. Corrections (Corrigenda / Errata)

2.1 When Corrections Are Issued

A correction notice is published when errors are identified in a published article that affect the scholarly record but do not invalidate the overall findings or conclusions. These may include:

• Errors in author names, affiliations, or acknowledgements
• Mistakes in data, figures, tables, or equations that do not change the interpretation of results
• Incorrect references or missing citations
• Typographical or factual errors in the text

2.2 Process

1. The corresponding author or the editorial team identifies the error and submits a correction request to the journal editor.
2. The editor evaluates whether the error is significant enough to warrant a formal correction notice.
3. A correction notice (corrigendum if the error originated from the author, erratum if from the publisher) is published as a separate, citable article with its own DOI.
4. The correction notice is bidirectionally linked to the original article via Crossref metadata.
5. The original article's Crossmark metadata is updated to reflect the correction.

2.3 Terminology

3. Retractions

3.1 When Retractions Are Issued

A retraction is issued when the findings of a published article are found to be unreliable or fundamentally flawed to a degree that the conclusions cannot be trusted. Grounds for retraction include:

• Clear evidence of data fabrication or falsification
• Confirmed plagiarism of substantial portions of the work
• Major unintentional errors that invalidate the results or conclusions
• Ethical violations such as undisclosed conflicts of interest, lack of ethics approval, or use of data without consent
• Duplicate or redundant publication without proper acknowledgement

3.2 Process

1. A retraction may be initiated by the author(s), the editor, or the publisher upon receiving credible evidence of misconduct or fundamental error.
2. The editor investigates the matter, consulting with peer reviewers and institutional authorities as appropriate, following COPE guidelines.
3. If retraction is warranted, a retraction notice is published as a separate, citable article with its own DOI.
4. The retracted article is not removed from the published record. Instead, a prominent "RETRACTED" watermark is applied to the PDF, and the HTML version is clearly marked.
5. The retraction notice is linked to the original article through Crossref metadata, and the Crossmark status is updated.
6. The retraction is registered with Crossref and will appear in relevant databases.

3.3 Partial Retraction

In rare cases where only a portion of the article's findings are invalid, a partial retraction may be issued. The partial retraction notice clearly identifies which parts of the article are affected and which remain valid.

4. Withdrawals

A withdrawal applies to articles that have been published online ahead of print (e.g., "online first" or "ahead of print" articles) but have not yet appeared in a final issue. If a serious issue is identified at this stage, the article may be withdrawn.

A withdrawal notice replaces the article and explains the reason for withdrawal. The original DOI is preserved but resolves to the withdrawal notice instead of the original content.

Once an article has been assigned to a final volume and issue, withdrawal is no longer possible — the article can only be corrected or retracted.

5. Expressions of Concern

An expression of concern is published when there are grounds for concern about the integrity of a published article, but the evidence is not yet conclusive enough to warrant a correction or retraction. This may occur when:

• An investigation is underway by the author's institution or a regulatory body
• Inconclusive evidence of research misconduct has been brought to the editor's attention
• There are unresolved concerns about data integrity or methodology

The expression of concern is published as a separate notice with its own DOI and is linked to the original article. It may be superseded by a correction, retraction, or clearance notice once the investigation concludes.

6. Removals

In extremely rare circumstances, an article may be removed from the online publication entirely. This is considered a last resort and is only done when:

• The article content poses a serious legal risk (e.g., defamation, court order)
• The article contains content that could cause serious harm to individuals if it remains accessible
• The article is subject to a court order mandating its removal

In such cases, the metadata and a notice explaining the removal remain accessible, but the full text of the article is removed. The DOI continues to resolve to the removal notice.

7. Article Versioning

AkiNik Publications follows the principle that the published scholarly record should be preserved. We do not routinely replace published articles with new versions ("in situ" updates).

If significant changes to an article are necessary beyond what a correction notice can address, a new version may be published with its own DOI. The new version will be linked to the original article through Crossref metadata, and both versions will be accessible to readers.

Minor typographical corrections that do not affect the scholarly content (e.g., formatting fixes, broken link repairs) may be applied directly to the online version without a formal notice. However, such changes will not alter the date stamp recorded in the Crossmark metadata unless they are editorially significant.

8. Crossmark Update Types

The following update types are recognized by Crossref's Crossmark service and used by AkiNik Publications where applicable:

9. Peer Review Policy

All articles published in AkiNik Publications journals undergo rigorous peer review. Our standard peer review process includes:

• Single-blind peer review: Reviewers are aware of the author identities, but authors are not informed of the reviewer identities.
• Each submitted manuscript is reviewed by at least two independent experts in the relevant field.
• Reviewers evaluate the manuscript for originality, methodology, significance, clarity, and adherence to ethical standards.
• The editor makes the final decision on acceptance, revision, or rejection based on the reviewers' recommendations.

10. Author Responsibilities

Authors are expected to:

• Report errors or inaccuracies in their published work promptly to the journal editor
• Cooperate with the editor in issuing corrections or retractions when necessary
• Ensure that all data reported in the manuscript are accurate and reproducible
• Declare any conflicts of interest or funding sources
• Confirm that the submitted work is original and has not been published elsewhere

11. Contact

For questions, concerns, or to report issues related to any article published by AkiNik Publications, please contact:

AkiNik Publications
New Delhi, India
Email: info@akinik.com
Website: www.akinik.com