Post-publication Inquiries and Corrections

Inquiry Process

Any complaints, concerns, or questions regarding the technical correctness, clarity, completeness, or quality of an article published in JSS should be directed to the editor-in-chief of the journal. For ethical concerns, please also see the Ethics Complaints and Appeals Process.

Queries should contain the following information:

• The title, authors, and issue number of the article in question
• The role of the reporter (i.e. author, reader, other)
• A brief description of the technical concern
• Links to any relevant supporting evidence (articles, data, etc.) 

For significant concerns that potentially impact the reliability of the research, the editor will initiate an investigation to determine how the concern will be addressed. Original authors and reviewers will be included in the investigation as needed. The editor will strive to complete investigations within 60 days of reporting. Outcomes of the investigation may include:

1. No Change
2. Correction:
• Article is updated, including publication metadata
• Correction notice is issued in the next issue of the journal
3. Retraction:
• Article galleys are removed
• Article page is updated with retraction notice and reason for retraction
• A retraction notice is issued in the next issue of the journal

All significant corrections will undergo the peer review process per JSS policy. Retraction decisions are based on COPE Retraction Guidelines.

Appeals

If an author or reporter disagrees with the decision of the editor-in-chief, they may appeal the decision. Upon receiving an appeal, the editor-in-chief shall convene an ad hoc Appeals Committee consisting of the editor-in-chief (as chair) and four editorial board members. The Appeals Committee shall review the appeal and render a decision based on a majority vote within 60 days.