Article Retraction Policy

Purpose of Retraction

The goal of retraction is to inform readers about materials containing significant errors or unreliable data that cannot be trusted. Data unreliability may arise from honest mistakes or deliberate misconduct, such as duplicate publications, plagiarism, or undisclosed conflicts of interest that could distort data interpretation or recommendations for use.

Retraction also serves to uphold scientific integrity by warning other researchers and readers against using the results of the retracted article in subsequent studies. Its primary function is to maintain the reliability of scientific research by removing misleading or inaccurate data from circulation.

Retraction thus contributes to upholding high scientific standards and trust in published research, ensuring that only reliable and accurate data remain within the scientific community.

The Editorial board of Russian Journal of Regional Studies, following the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the "Rules for Retraction" of the Association of Scientific Editors and Publishers (ASEP), adheres to the following retraction policy.

Grounds for Retraction

Articles may be retracted due to violations of scientific publishing ethics, including:
– Incorrect and/or unattributed borrowing of the information (plagiarism).

– Duplicate publication in multiple outlets.

– Self-plagiarism.

– Falsification or fabrication of data (e.g., manipulation of experimental results).

– Identification of significant errors in the publication (e.g., incorrect interpretation of research findings), undermining its scientific value.

– Misrepresentation of authorship (including individuals who do not meet authorship criteria).

– Undisclosed conflicts of interest.

– Republishing an article without the author's consent.

– Other violations of publication ethics.

A retraction confirms that the article contains violations. While authors may disagree with the decision, the Journal retains the right to proceed with the retraction process. Articles may be retracted by the authors or by the Journal's Editorial board. Retraction is not intended as a tool to discredit authors but as a mechanism to ensure the transparency and integrity of scientific communication and knowledge dissemination.

When a retraction decision is made based on an expert review, triggered by third-party information or an author's request, the authors are formally notified. Authors (or the corresponding author in case of collective authorship) must review and acknowledge the reasoning for retraction. If authors refuse to retract, the Editorial board reserves the right to proceed without their consent, since it is responsible for the content of the Journal and the accuracy of the data presented in it.

Retraction Process

Process Initiation
The retraction process is initiated by the Editor-in-chief based on expert review and the authors' responses to specific concerns. Authors either agree to the retraction or present convincing arguments against it. The Editorial board makes the final decision on retraction.

Author-Initiated Retraction
Authors submit a written request to the Editorial board explaining the reasons (e.g., errors in the presented data or unauthorized use of third-party information). If the board agrees to the retraction, it is implemented in line with COPE guidelines and ASEP ethical standards. If the board does not respond, authors may appeal to the ASEP Ethics Council.

Third-Party-Initiated Retraction
The Editorial board conducts an expert review based on third-party claims and notifies the authors of its decision. If ignored, the Editorial board may proceed independently.

Decision Documentation
Retraction decisions are documented in an Editorial board meeting protocol.

Retraction Notice Content
The retraction statement includes:

– Author(s)' name(s), article title, journal name, publication details, and DOI.

– The party initiating the retraction.

– Grounds for retraction (e.g., plagiarism, duplication, with references to the original source).

– Date of decision and link to the article metadata page on the Journal's website, containing the retraction notice and the full text marked as "RETRACTED."

Exceptional Cases
In exceptional cases, articles may need to be removed entirely because of defamatory content or threats to public health. Metadata (title and authors) will be retained, with an explanation of why the article was removed.

Notification Distribution
The Editor-in-chief sends the retraction protocol to:

– National Electronic Library (elibrary.ru) and other bibliographic databases. While article information remains in the system, its indexing in databases like RSCI is removed, and the retraction note is appended.

– ASEP's Ethics Council for inclusion in the Retraction Database.

– Relevant dissertation councils if the article is referenced in academic defenses.

Retraction information is also published as a separate file on the Journal's website.

Based on the expert review, the Editorial board may impose a publication ban on the author(s) for a specific period.