Post-Publication Discussion, Correction, and Retraction Policy

The Way: Jurnal Teologi dan Kependidikan (p-ISSN: 2088-1045; e-ISSN: 2714-5476), published by Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Bethel The Way, Jakarta, Indonesia, is committed to maintaining the accuracy, integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record.

The journal recognizes that scholarly evaluation continues after publication. Readers, authors, reviewers, researchers, and academic institutions may identify errors, raise concerns, offer alternative interpretations, or contribute new perspectives on published research.

This policy establishes procedures for post-publication scholarly discussion, corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions. It is informed by the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Post-Publication Discussion

The Way: Jurnal Teologi dan Kependidikan encourages constructive academic discussion concerning articles published in the journal.

Post-publication discussions contribute to scholarly development by allowing researchers to critically evaluate published findings, clarify interpretations, identify potential limitations, and introduce additional evidence or perspectives.

The journal welcomes scholarly discussions addressing:

Research findings, methodological approaches, and theoretical arguments presented in published articles.
Biblical interpretations, theological perspectives, and hermeneutical approaches.
Educational theories, teaching practices, and research implications.
Potential factual inaccuracies, methodological limitations, or interpretative concerns.
New scholarly evidence or developments relevant to previously published research.
Ethical issues or concerns regarding the integrity of published material.

Academic discussions must be conducted respectfully, professionally, and on the basis of verifiable scholarly arguments.

Differences in theological, denominational, philosophical, or educational perspectives are recognized as legitimate aspects of academic discourse and should not, by themselves, constitute grounds for editorial sanctions.

2. Mechanisms for Post-Publication Discussion

Readers, authors, and researchers may submit comments, questions, critiques, or scholarly responses concerning published articles through the journal's official editorial communication channels.

Submissions should include:

The title and publication details of the article concerned.
The name and contact information of the person submitting the comment, unless the matter is reported confidentially.
A clear explanation of the question, criticism, or concern.
Relevant scholarly evidence, references, or supporting documentation.
A statement of any relevant conflicts of interest.

The editorial team will evaluate submissions for relevance, scholarly merit, accuracy, and compliance with publication ethics.

Where appropriate, the editorial team may invite the original authors to provide clarification or a scholarly response.

Substantive scholarly exchanges may be considered for publication as correspondence, commentary, or another appropriate format, subject to editorial assessment and the journal's publication policies.

The journal does not guarantee publication of every submitted comment or response.

3. Editorial Management of Post-Publication Discussions

The Editor-in-Chief and editorial team are responsible for managing post-publication discussions fairly and independently.

The editorial team may:

Evaluate whether submitted comments concern scholarly issues relevant to a published article.
Request clarification or supporting evidence from individuals raising concerns.
Invite original authors to respond to substantive academic criticism.
Seek independent expert assessment when specialized evaluation is necessary.
Determine whether a concern requires a formal correction, expression of concern, or retraction.
Decline comments containing personal attacks, discriminatory statements, unsupported allegations, or other content inconsistent with academic standards.

When a post-publication discussion identifies possible research misconduct, the concern will be addressed in accordance with the journal's Allegations of Research Misconduct policy.

4. Correction of Published Articles

The Way: Jurnal Teologi dan Kependidikan recognizes that errors may occasionally be identified after an article has been published.

A correction may be issued when an error affects the accuracy, clarity, interpretation, or completeness of the scholarly record but does not fundamentally invalidate the article's principal findings or conclusions.

Corrections may address:

Incorrect author names, affiliations, or relevant publication metadata.
Errors in tables, figures, calculations, or textual information.
Inaccurate references, citations, or source details.
Omissions in funding, acknowledgments, author contributions, or conflict of interest declarations.
Other substantive errors requiring transparent correction.

Authors who identify significant errors in their published articles must promptly inform the editorial team.

The editorial team will assess the nature and significance of the error and determine whether a formal correction notice is required.

5. Procedures for Issuing Corrections

When a correction is considered necessary, the journal will follow these procedures:

Notification: The concern is reported by an author, reader, editor, reviewer, or other relevant party.
Verification: The editorial team examines the reported error and may request supporting documentation.
Author Consultation: The authors are ordinarily contacted for clarification when appropriate.
Editorial Assessment: The editorial team determines whether the error requires a formal correction or another editorial response.
Publication of Correction: A correction notice is published when warranted, identifying the original article and explaining the amendment.
Linking and Documentation: The correction is linked to the original publication, where technically possible, to maintain transparency and traceability.

Corrections must not be used to conceal substantive errors or silently alter the scholarly record.

Any necessary revision to the article file should be documented appropriately, and the published correction should clearly explain the nature of the change.

6. Expression of Concern

An Expression of Concern may be issued when credible and potentially serious questions arise regarding the integrity or reliability of a published article but the available evidence is insufficient to support a definitive editorial decision.

Circumstances that may justify an Expression of Concern include:

Serious concerns about research data or methodology that remain unresolved.
Ongoing investigations into possible research or publication misconduct.
Inconclusive evidence concerning plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or unethical research practices.
Significant concerns about the reliability of an article when further investigation is required.

An Expression of Concern is not equivalent to a finding of misconduct or a retraction.

The notice should identify the article concerned and explain the nature of the unresolved concerns without presenting unverified allegations as established facts.

When sufficient information becomes available, the editorial team will reassess the matter and determine whether the notice should be updated, withdrawn, supplemented by a correction, or superseded by a retraction.

7. Retraction of Published Articles

The Way: Jurnal Teologi dan Kependidikan may retract a published article when reliable evidence indicates that its findings, conclusions, or scholarly integrity are seriously compromised.

Retraction may be considered under circumstances including:

a. Unreliable Research Findings

The article contains significant errors, fabricated data, falsified results, or other serious problems that make its principal findings or conclusions unreliable.

b. Plagiarism

The article contains substantial unattributed material or intellectual contributions from other sources in violation of academic integrity standards.

c. Duplicate or Redundant Publication

The article substantially duplicates previously published work without appropriate disclosure, acknowledgment, or justification.

d. Unethical Research Practices

The research involves serious violations of applicable research ethics requirements, including inappropriate handling of research participants or confidential information.

e. Compromised Peer Review

The article was published following manipulation or serious compromise of the peer-review or editorial process.

f. Serious Authorship or Legal Violations

The publication involves serious authorship misconduct, unauthorized use of protected material, or other violations that warrant retraction after appropriate assessment.

Retraction decisions must be based on sufficient evidence and consideration of the circumstances.

The purpose of retraction is to correct the scholarly record and protect its integrity, not to punish authors.

8. Retraction Procedures

When a potential need for retraction is identified, the journal will follow an appropriate editorial assessment process.

Stage 1: Identification of Concern

A potential problem is identified by an author, reader, reviewer, editor, institution, or other party.

Stage 2: Preliminary Assessment

The Editor-in-Chief or an independent designated editor assesses the allegation and available evidence.

Stage 3: Author Clarification

The authors are ordinarily informed of the concerns and given a reasonable opportunity to provide explanations and supporting documentation.

Stage 4: Further Investigation

Where necessary, the journal may request independent expert opinions or consult relevant academic institutions or research integrity authorities.

Stage 5: Editorial Decision

The Editor-in-Chief, or an independent editor where a conflict of interest exists, determines whether retraction or another editorial action is warranted.

Stage 6: Publication of Retraction Notice

When retraction is warranted, the journal publishes a formal notice clearly identifying the retracted article and the reasons for the decision.

Stage 7: Article Status and Archiving

The original article will ordinarily remain accessible as part of the scholarly record, clearly marked as retracted. Its metadata and article page should also indicate the retraction status where technically possible.

Retraction notices should be linked to the original articles and made freely accessible.

A retraction may proceed without the agreement of all authors when the editorial team has sufficient grounds to determine that the published record requires correction.

9. Withdrawal and Removal of Articles

The Way: Jurnal Teologi dan Kependidikan distinguishes manuscript withdrawal from the retraction of published articles.

Manuscript Withdrawal

A manuscript that has not yet been published may be withdrawn from editorial consideration following an appropriate request or editorial determination.

Retraction

An article that has already been formally published and subsequently found to be seriously unreliable or ethically compromised may be retracted through a public editorial notice.

Article Removal

Complete removal of published article content will be considered only in exceptional circumstances, such as serious legal concerns, threats to personal safety, unlawful disclosure of confidential information, or other compelling reasons.

Where removal is unavoidable, the journal should retain an appropriate public notice and bibliographic record to explain the absence of the original content, insofar as legally and technically possible.

10. Transparency and Preservation of the Scholarly Record

The Way: Jurnal Teologi dan Kependidikan is committed to ensuring that post-publication editorial actions are transparent and appropriately documented.

The journal will endeavor to:

Clearly identify correction, expression of concern, and retraction notices.
Provide sufficient explanations for editorial actions without unnecessarily disclosing confidential information.
Link notices to the relevant published articles.
Preserve publication records and maintain the traceability of editorial changes.
Avoid undisclosed substantive alterations to published articles.
Maintain public access to correction and retraction notices.

The journal maintains its publication archives through its official website and the internal database of Sekolah Tinggi Teologi Bethel The Way, in accordance with its Electronic Archiving Policy.