Correction and Retraction

Post-Publication Discussion, Correction, and Retraction Policy

Provider Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan (PROJIP) is dedicated to preserving the accuracy, integrity, completeness, and reliability of the scholarly literature in governmental studies, public policy, public administration, and political science. The journal encourages constructive academic discourse and handles post-publication issues impartially in accordance with the guidelines and flowcharts established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), including the COPE Retraction Guidelines.

Academic disagreement or differing analytical frameworks do not alone establish errors or scientific misconduct. When verified evidence demonstrates defects in the published literature, PROJIP responds proportionately to the severity, nature, and impact of the issue.

1. Post-Publication Discussion

PROJIP invites evidence-based inquiries, critiques, replications, and comments concerning published articles to refine governance concepts, empirical methods, and public policy interpretations.

• Scope of Discussion: Research design, sampling or informant selection protocols in local/regional government studies, qualitative analysis, empirical data interpretation, statistical validity, reproducibility, and critical theoretical frameworks.
• Submission of Comments: Submissions must be sent to redaksiprojip@gmail.com with the subject line:

Post-Publication Discussion: [Article Title or DOI]

Submissions must cite the article title/DOI, specific passages/data, empirical evidence or scholarly references, and full author details with an explicit competing-interest declaration.

• Assessment & Author Right of Response: The editorial board reviews comments for scholarly merit, objective tone, and absence of defamatory or personal attacks. Original authors are invited to prepare an Author Reply (typically within 14 to 21 days). Published comments and replies are explicitly linked to the original article on the OJS platform.

2. Corrections (Erratum / Corrigendum)

A formal Correction is issued when an error or omission occurs that can be rectified without invalidating the core findings, analytical models, or overarching conclusions of the study.

• Applicable Scenarios:
• Minor typographical, textual, or numerical errors in tables, figures, or mathematical formulas.
• Inadvertent errors or omissions in author names, affiliations, or contact details.
• Omitted or inaccurate grant numbers, funding disclosures, or research sponsorships.
• Incomplete conflict-of-interest declarations that do not alter the integrity of the review process.
• Procedure & Notice:
• Authors or readers must report the issue via email to redaksiprojip@gmail.com with the subject line: Correction Request: [Article Title or DOI].
• Upon editorial verification, an independent, citable Correction Notice is published in the next issue, assigned a distinct DOI, and bi-directionally hyperlinked to the original article.
• In the electronic galley PDF, the corrected text will be incorporated, accompanied by a clear footnote noting the date and nature of the modification. Silent modifications to published galleys are strictly forbidden.

3. Expressions of Concern

An Expression of Concern is a formal editorial statement alerting the scholarly community to serious, unresolved integrity questions while an inquiry is ongoing or inconclusive.

• Applicable Scenarios:
• Substantial evidence of unreliable data, manipulated public administration field records, or questionable research practices, where an official investigation is in progress or delayed.
• Institutional or governmental ethics committees have initiated an investigation, but conclusive findings will take a prolonged period.
• Inconclusive findings where strong indicators of potential breach remain unresolved.
• Implementation: The notice outlines the nature of the concern without asserting unproven allegations, is assigned a distinct DOI, and is linked prominently to the article landing page on OJS pending final resolution.

4. Retractions

A Retraction is a formal mechanism to alert readers that an article's findings, data, or conclusions are fundamentally compromised and should no longer be cited or relied upon. Retraction serves to correct the scholarly record; it is not a punitive measure against authors.

• Grounds for Retraction (following COPE standards):
• Clear evidence that findings are unreliable due to major honest error (e.g., miscalculation, computational error) or deliberate scientific misconduct (data fabrication or falsification).
• Clear evidence of plagiarism (textual, conceptual, or data misappropriation).
• Duplicate or redundant publication across multiple journals without transparent disclosure, permission, or justification.
• Unethical research execution, including lack of formal ethical clearance, violation of informant consent, or unauthorized disclosure of classified institutional/state documents.
• Evidence of manipulated or compromised peer review or inappropriate authorship trading.
• Material, undisclosed conflicts of interest that severely bias the empirical conclusions or editorial handling.
• Process: Retractions may be initiated by the authors, the Editor-in-Chief, or the publishing institution (Program Studi Ilmu Pemerintahan, Universitas Ichsan Gorontalo). Author consensus is not mandatory if independent evidence warrants retraction.
• Retraction Notice: A separate, openly accessible Retraction Notice will detail the reasons, state who is retracting the paper, and clarify whether the authors concur.

5. Treatment of Retracted Articles and Galley Watermarking

In accordance with international digital archiving standards, retracted articles are not removed or deleted from the journal website:

• Watermarking: The original PDF galley is retained on the OJS platform but updated with a prominent, indelible watermark across every page reading "RETRACTED".
• Metadata Retention: The landing page, abstract, bibliographic citation, registered Crossref DOI, and publication history remain permanently accessible to the public, accompanied by an explicit link to the formal Retraction Notice.

6. Article Removal (Exceptional Circumstances)

Complete removal of an article galley from the public server is strictly restricted to extreme, extraordinary circumstances:

• Direct court orders or clear legal determinations that the content is unlawful or defamatory.
• Extreme violations of privacy or human rights (e.g., exposure of vulnerable, identifiable individuals or sensitive national security data).
• When continued online availability poses immediate, catastrophic harm.

In such cases, the full text will be withdrawn, but an explicit bibliographic notice stating the reason for removal will remain permanently associated with the DOI on the OJS platform.

7. Summary of Actions

Scenario	Editorial Response	Action Taken on Article
Scholarly critique / inquiry	Post-Publication Discussion	Published comment & author reply linked
Minor error / omitted funding	Correction (Erratum)	Correction notice published; galley amended with note
Ongoing investigation	Expression of Concern	Warning notice linked to landing page
Plagiarism / falsified data	Retraction	Retraction notice; PDF watermarked RETRACTED
Legal mandate / critical breach	Article Removal	Galley removed; explanatory tombstone page retained

Editorial Inquiries & Submissions

• Journal: Provider Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan (PROJIP)
• Publisher: Program Studi Ilmu Pemerintahan, Universitas Ichsan Gorontalo
• Portal: https://ejurnal.unisan.ac.id/index.php/projip
• Email: redaksiprojip@gmail.com
• Address: Kampus Universitas Ichsan Gorontalo, Jl. Drs. Achmad Nadjamudin No 10, Dulalowo Timur, Kota Tengah, Kota Gorontalo, Provinsi Gorontalo, 96115 – Indonesia.