Corrections, Retractions and Post-Publication Updates Policy
The Uzbek Journal "Problems of Mechanics" is committed to maintaining an accurate, reliable, transparent, and permanent scholarly record.
When a significant error, ethical concern, or reliability issue is identified after publication, the journal may publish a correction, Expression of Concern, retraction, removal notice, or another appropriate post-publication update.
The journal does not make silent changes that could alter the meaning, interpretation, authorship, or citation of a published article.
Corrections
A correction may be published when an error affects the accuracy, clarity, attribution, or presentation of an article but does not invalidate its principal findings.
Examples include:
- errors in author names or affiliations;
- incorrect numerical values, labels, equations, tables, or figures;
- missing acknowledgments or declarations;
- factual or typographical errors affecting meaning;
- limited errors in methods or analysis that do not invalidate the main conclusions.
The journal may identify the notice as an author correction, publisher correction, corrigendum, or erratum where appropriate.
A correction notice will normally:
- clearly describe the error and its correction;
- identify the affected article;
- be electronically linked to the original article;
- receive a DOI where appropriate;
- indicate the date of correction.
The original article may be updated with a notice and link while preserving the history of the published record.
Minor spelling, formatting, or typographical changes that do not affect meaning or citation may be corrected without a separate notice.
Retractions
An article may be retracted when its findings or conclusions are no longer reliable because of:
- fabrication or falsification;
- serious plagiarism;
- major calculation, methodological, or analytical errors;
- substantial duplicate publication;
- manipulated authorship or peer review;
- serious ethical or legal violations;
- publication without required authorization or consent;
- another serious breach that substantially undermines confidence in the article.
Retraction is intended to correct the scholarly record and alert readers that the article should not be relied upon. It is not primarily a punishment.
A retraction notice will normally:
- be freely accessible;
- identify the retracted article and its DOI;
- explain the reason for the retraction;
- indicate who is retracting the article;
- be linked to the original publication;
- receive its own DOI where appropriate.
The original article will normally remain accessible but will be clearly marked as retracted. Its content will not normally be deleted.
Expression of Concern
An Expression of Concern may be published when serious questions have been raised about an article but:
- an investigation has not been completed;
- the available evidence is inconclusive;
- an institution has not provided a timely response;
- the journal cannot obtain the information needed for a final decision;
- readers should be informed while the matter is being examined.
The notice will explain the basis of the concern without presenting unconfirmed allegations as established facts.
An Expression of Concern may later be replaced or followed by a correction, retraction, or notice that the concerns have been resolved. In some cases, it may remain the final post-publication notice.
Withdrawal Before Final Publication
A manuscript accepted or posted online before completion of final publication may be withdrawn where:
- serious errors or misconduct are identified;
- the article was published accidentally or more than once;
- legal, ethical, or authorization requirements were not met;
- publication cannot properly proceed.
A withdrawal notice will remain available where necessary to preserve the publication record.
Withdrawal must not be used simply because authors have changed their minds after acceptance.
Removal of Published Content
Complete removal of published content is considered only in exceptional circumstances, including where:
- removal is required by a court or competent authority;
- the content is unlawful or seriously defamatory;
- publication creates an immediate and serious safety risk;
- confidential or personal information was unlawfully disclosed;
- serious intellectual-property rights were violated and cannot be addressed by correction or retraction.
Where content is removed, the article’s bibliographic record will normally remain available with a notice explaining the reason for removal, unless legal requirements prevent disclosure.
Post-Publication Discussion
The journal welcomes evidence-based comments, critical analyses, replication findings, and responses relating to published articles.
Post-publication comments must:
- address the scientific content of the article;
- use professional and respectful language;
- disclose relevant conflicts of interest;
- provide supporting evidence where appropriate;
- avoid personal accusations or defamatory statements.
The original authors will normally be given an opportunity to respond.
Comments and responses may be peer reviewed and published as separate citable materials where they make a meaningful scientific contribution.
Procedure
Concerns about a published article should be submitted in writing and should identify:
- the article title;
- author names;
- DOI or publication details;
- the specific error or concern;
- relevant evidence;
- any competing interest of the person reporting the concern.
Authors and other involved persons will normally be informed of the substantive concern and given a reasonable opportunity to respond.
The journal may consult independent experts, institutions, ethics committees, research-integrity bodies, or other competent authorities.
Metadata and Crossmark
Significant corrections, retractions, withdrawals, Expressions of Concern, and other material updates will be linked to the affected article.
Where applicable, the journal will update DOI metadata, article landing pages, PDF files, indexing records, and Crossmark information.
Crossref requires participating publishers to register significant updates, including corrections, retractions, and withdrawals, and to maintain accurate Crossmark metadata.
Appeals
Authors or other affected persons may challenge the procedure followed by submitting a reasoned appeal under the journal’s Complaints and Appeals Policy.
An appeal must identify a material factual, procedural, or conflict-of-interest concern. Disagreement with the outcome alone is not sufficient.
Policy Administration
This policy is effective from 1 August 2026 and will be reviewed periodically.
Questions, correction requests, or concerns about published articles should be submitted to: