CrossMark Policy Page

The Journal of Social Commerce assigns a DOI to all published articles, ensuring they are permanently available, regardless of the subsequent peer review outcomes.

All content, including pre-peer review articles, is permanently archived on the Journal of Social Commerce's OJS platform. Once articles have passed peer review, all their versions are archived on the Journal of Social Commerce Archive Page.

Authors can revise, change, and update their articles by publishing new versions, which are added to the article’s history. However, once published, individual versions cannot be altered or withdrawn and remain permanently accessible on the Journal of Social Commerce website. The Journal of Social Commerce participates in the CrossMark initiative, a multi-publisher scheme that provides a standard way for readers to locate the current version of an article. By adhering to CrossMark policies, the Journal of Social Commerce is committed to maintaining its published content and alerting readers to changes as they occur.

Clicking the CrossMark logo (located at the top of each Journal of Social Commerce article) will provide the current status of an article and direct you to the latest published version, potentially offering additional information such as important article dates.

Document Status Indicators

  • Current: This indicates the document is the most recent version.
  • Correction: This signifies that changes have been made, with correction details provided.
  • Retraction: This indicates the document has been retracted, with reasons provided.
  • Update: This indicates that new information has been added to the document.

Policy for Document Updates

The Journal of Social Commerce ensures the accuracy of its published content through the following policies:

Correction to an Article

In traditional journals, Corrections (or Errata) alert readers to errors identified after final publication. However, articles in the Journal of Social Commerce undergo post-publication peer review, allowing for the addition of new versions at any stage. Mistakes identified during peer review may be highlighted in published referee reports, which are part of the article. Authors can publish revised versions, correcting errors identified during peer review or later. Corrections and changes relative to the previous version are summarized in the ‘Amendments’ section at the start of a new version.

Retraction

Articles may be retracted for reasons such as:

  • Honest errors reported by the authors (e.g., sample mix-ups or faulty scientific tools)
  • Research misconduct (e.g., data fabrication)
  • Duplicate or overlapping publication
  • Fraudulent use of data
  • Clear plagiarism
  • Unethical research

The retraction notice will clearly state the reason for retraction and the party initiating it. The retraction notice will link to the retracted article, which remains on the site and is clearly marked as retracted (including the PDF).

Articles are typically retracted at the authors’ request or by the publisher following an institutional investigation. It is important to note that a retracted article is not ‘unpublished’ or ‘withdrawn’ for publication elsewhere. The reasons for retraction are usually so serious that the study, or large parts of it, are unsuitable for inclusion in the scientific literature anywhere.

Content of a retracted article is removed only when legal limitations are placed upon the publisher, copyright holder, or author(s), such as defamation, infringement of legal rights, or court orders. In such cases, bibliographic information for the article is retained on the site along with information about the removal circumstances.

In rare cases, where published false or inaccurate data pose serious health risks, the original incorrect version(s) may be removed, and a corrected version published. The reason for this partial removal will be clearly stated on the latest version.

Editorial Note

An Editorial Note may be used to alert readers to potential, unresolved issues with an article. Such a note may be added if the Journal of Social Commerce receives information suggesting research or publication misconduct, or serious disputes between authors or with third parties. The Editorial Note will remain posted during investigations until a permanent solution is found (e.g., a revised ‘corrected’ version or a Retraction).

Expression of Concern

In rare instances, the Journal of Social Commerce may issue an Expression of Concern linked to the problematic article if serious concerns exist but no conclusive evidence justifies a Retraction. This may include:

  • Inconclusive evidence of research or publication misconduct
  • Evidence of problems with the article, but the authors’ institution refuses to investigate
  • Impartial or inconclusive investigation into alleged misconduct

Commitment to Integrity

The Journal of Social Commerce is dedicated to maintaining the trust of our readers and the academic community. We uphold the highest standards of publication ethics and are transparent about changes to our published content. CrossMark is part of our commitment to providing readers with reliable and accurate scholarly information.

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