Retraction Policy

BJET's Retraction Policy is aligned with the COPE Retraction Guidelines (Version 3, 2025), IEEE Post-Publication Policies, and Elsevier's Article Correction, Retraction and Removal Policy. The integrity of the published scientific record is paramount, and retraction is a corrective mechanism not a punitive one intended to alert readers that published work is unreliable.

1 Definition of Retraction

A retraction is a formal withdrawal of a published article from the scientific record when the findings are found to be unreliable, the work violates publication ethics standards, or the publication should not have occurred. A retracted article is not deleted it remains visible in the BJET archive and in MUOJ systems with a clear 'RETRACTED' watermark and a linked retraction notice.

2 Grounds for Retraction

An article may be retracted for one or more of the following reasons:

Research Integrity Violations

· Data fabrication: invention of data or results that were never collected.

· Data falsification: manipulation, alteration, or selective omission of data such that the research is not accurately represented.

· Image manipulation: adjustment of figures or images beyond acceptable levels that misrepresents the original data.

· Falsification of methodology: inaccurate description of how the research was conducted.

Publication Ethics Violations

· Plagiarism: substantial copying of another's work without appropriate attribution.

· Duplicate publication / self-plagiarism: publication of the same or substantially similar work in another journal without disclosure and cross-referencing.

· Simultaneous submission: submission of the same manuscript to two or more journals at the same time.

· Undisclosed conflicts of interest that materially affect the reliability of the findings.

· Manipulation of the peer review process (e.g., fabricated reviewer identities or review recommendations).

 Ethical Violations

· Research conducted without required ethics committee or IRB approval.

· Research involving human or animal subjects without proper consent or in violation of applicable regulations.

· Inclusion of individuals as authors without their knowledge or consent; removal of rightful authors without justification.

Unreliable Findings

· Major errors in data analysis, calculation, or interpretation that invalidate the conclusions, even if resulting from honest mistakes.

· Equipment malfunction or data corruption materially affecting the results.

3 Retraction Procedure

The following procedure applies when a potential ground for retraction is identified, whether by the authors themselves, a reader, a reviewer, a third party, or the editors:

·  Initiation: The Editorial Office receives a concern or complaint, or an editor identifies a potential problem. The EIC formally opens an investigation.

·  Notification: The corresponding author is notified in writing within 10 business days. Authors are invited to respond to the specific allegations within 21 days.

·  Investigation: The EIC reviews all evidence — including the manuscript, data, peer review correspondence, and any external reports. Additional expert consultation may be sought. If the concern involves serious misconduct, the author's institution may be notified in accordance with COPE guidance.

·  Expression of Concern: If an investigation is ongoing and the published article could cause harm if relied upon, BJET will publish an Expression of Concern to alert readers, linked to the article, prior to reaching a final conclusion.

·  Decision: The EIC, in consultation with the Editorial Board, decides whether retraction is warranted. This decision is made on the basis of the evidence and regardless of whether author’s consent.

· Retraction Notice Publication: A formal Retraction Notice is published as promptly as possible — online first if the print cycle has not yet closed. The notice includes: the article title, authors, volume/issue/page, DOI, date of retraction, and the specific reason(s) for retraction.

· Article Watermarking: The original article PDF and HTML page are watermarked 'RETRACTED' on each page. The retraction notice is prominently linked.

· Indexing Databases: BJET will notify indexing services (e.g., CrossRef, DOAJ) of the retraction to ensure metadata is updated.

In cases where the investigation is inconclusive and the evidence is genuinely ambiguous, BJET may choose to maintain an Expression of Concern rather than issuing a full retraction. The EIC's decision at all stages is final.

4 Author-Initiated Retraction

Authors who discover a significant error or ethical problem in their own published work are strongly encouraged to contact the Editorial Office promptly to request retraction. Author-initiated retractions are viewed as responsible conduct and will be acknowledged in the retraction notice. 

5 Retraction Notice Content

All BJET retraction notices will include:

Full citation of the retracted article (title, authors, volume, issue, page numbers, DOI, original publication date).

· Date the retraction notice was published.

· Clear statement that the article has been retracted.

· Reason(s) for retraction, stated as specifically as possible and supported by evidence.

· Statement on whether the retraction is due to honest error or misconduct (when determinable).

· Whether authors agree or disagree with the retraction (if known).

· Signature of the Editor-in-Chief.

Retraction notices are published in the same journal section as original articles and are freely accessible even if the journal requires login for other content.

6 Article Removal (Rare Circumstances)

Complete removal of an article from BJET's online platform is reserved exclusively for extraordinary circumstances where maintaining the article would:

·         Be clearly defamatory or in violation of applicable law.

·         Infringe on an individual's legal rights (e.g., privacy, court order).

·         Pose a serious and direct safety risk (e.g., publication of a specific pathogen synthesis route).

In such cases, a statement explaining that content has been removed and the reason for removal will remain at the original URL and DOI to preserve the scholarly record. The full citation record is maintained.

3.7 Consequences of Confirmed Misconduct

When retraction is based on confirmed misconduct (as opposed to honest error), BJET may impose the following additional measures proportional to the severity of the violation:

·         Formal notification to the author's institution.

·         A written warning or temporary ban (1–3 years) from submitting to BJET.

·         A permanent ban from submitting to BJET in cases of egregious or repeated misconduct.

·         Notification to other publishers and relevant professional bodies where appropriate.