Retraction

Guidelines for the Retraction of Scientific Articles in the Journal Ciência da Informação Express (CIExpress) and Other Provisions
Based on international ethical standards and the guidelines of COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), it is hereby resolved:

Art. 1 To establish the guidelines for the retraction of scientific articles in the journal Ciência da Informação Express (CIExpress), with the purpose of ensuring the integrity of the scientific literature, correcting incorrect data or conclusions, and guaranteeing transparency for readers, authors, and editors.

Chapter I

Purpose of the Retraction
Art. 2 The primary purpose of retraction is to correct the scientific literature, without punishing the authors, when the presence of incorrect data or conclusions is identified, and to ensure that readers are not misled by false or inconsistent information.
Sole Paragraph. Retraction does not apply in cases of disagreement between authors or readers, or in situations involving negative or unexpected results.

Chapter II

Cases in Which an Article Should Be Retracted
Art. 3 The retraction of an article will be appropriate in the following situations:

I - When there is verifiable evidence that the data or results presented are false or unreliable, resulting from:
a) Honest error, such as a serious methodological flaw;
b) Misconduct, such as data fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism.

II - When the article constitutes plagiarism or duplicate publication.
III - When the article contains unethical research, such as:
a) Lack of ethical approval or required consent;
b) Violations of human rights;
c) Publication of data without proper legal or ethical authority.
IV - When there are serious authorship conflicts or unresolved disputes regarding the authorship of the article.

Chapter III

Cases in Which Retraction Should Not Occur
Art. 4 Retraction of an article will not be considered solely in the following cases:
I - Disagreement between authors and readers regarding the interpretation of results;
II - Presentation of negative or unexpected results;
III - Unfounded accusations that have not been proven after investigation.
Sole Paragraph. In such cases, a correction note, expression of concern, or comment may be issued, depending on the severity of the matter.

Chapter IV

Publication of the Retraction
Art. 5 The retraction must be published independently, with its own DOI, and linked to the original article through a hyperlink or explanatory note, in the languages in which the original text was published.
Sole Paragraph. The title of the retraction must be clearly identified with the word “Retraction” or a similar term, followed by the title of the original article.

Art. 6 The content of the retraction must be:
I - Clear, transparent, and factual, including:
a) Identification of the party responsible for the retraction (author, editor, or institution);
b) The reason for the retraction;
c) The authors’ position regarding the retraction, in case of disagreement.

Art. 7 The retraction request must be sent to the journal’s institutional email address.

Chapter V

Transparency
Art. 8 The original article must not be removed from the database but must remain accessible with a visible notice stating that it has been retracted.
Sole Paragraph. The retraction must be labeled as “Retraction” on all versions of the article and in indexing databases.

Chapter VI

Responsibilities
Art. 9 Editors are responsible for deciding to initiate a retraction, even without the authors’ consent, when necessary to preserve scientific integrity.
Sole Paragraph. Authors may also request the retraction of an article, provided the request is made in good faith.

Art. 10 Institutions may cooperate with investigations, but the final editorial decision on retraction rests solely with the journal.

Chapter VII

Expression of Concern
Art. 11 When there is not yet sufficient evidence to justify retraction, but doubts remain, an “Expression of Concern” may be issued while an investigation is pending.
Sole Paragraph. The “Expression of Concern” must be clear and indicate that the situation is under investigation.

Chapter VIII

Final Provisions
Art. 12 This Guideline enters into force on the date of its publication, with all provisions to the contrary hereby revoked.
Art. 13 Any omissions will be resolved by the Editorial Board, in accordance with COPE guidelines and the ethical standards of the journal Ciência da Informação Express (CIExpress).