Policy on Corrections and Expressions of Concern
1. General provisions
The journal “Physical and Mathematical Education” is committed to maintaining the accuracy and transparency of the scholarly record. When issues are identified after publication, the journal may apply:
- Correction (Erratum/Corrigendum) – when an error can be corrected without retracting the article.
- Expression of Concern – when there are well-founded concerns about the reliability of a publication, but an investigation is ongoing or evidence is not yet sufficient for a final decision.
- Retraction – when issues are serious and undermine the reliability of the results (see the separate Retraction Policy).
2. When a correction is issued
A correction may be issued when:
- the error is technical/editorial (typos, formatting issues, incorrect figure/table labels, etc.);
- there are errors in data/formulas/method description, but the main results and conclusions remain valid;
- certain statements need clarification (e.g., acknowledgements, funding, conflict of interest) without changing the core findings.
3. When an expression of concern is issued
An Expression of Concern may be issued when:
- credible information suggests potential serious misconduct or unreliable results;
- an investigation is ongoing (internally or with institutions), and readers should be alerted;
- the author(s) or institution fail to provide sufficient information within a reasonable timeframe, and the case cannot be promptly resolved.
4. Initiation and review
4.1. Requests (from author(s), the editorial office, readers, institutions, etc.) should be sent to the journal’s official email fmo-journal@fizmatsspu.sumy.ua, including a link to the article, a description of the issue, and supporting evidence where available.
4.2. The editorial office performs an initial assessment within 5 business days and determines the appropriate action (correction/expression of concern/initiation of retraction procedure).
4.3. Where necessary, the journal requests explanations and materials from the author(s) and may consult independent experts. The indicative review period is up to 30 calendar days (extendable by up to 15 calendar days for complex cases, with notification to the parties).
5. Publication format
5.1. A correction/expression of concern is published as a separate notice on the journal website and includes:
- a clear title: “Correction” or “Expression of Concern”;
- full bibliographic details of the original article and a link to it;
- a clear summary of the change(s) or reason(s);
- the publication date of the notice.
5.2. The original article page is updated with a visible label and an active link to the notice.
6. Notifications and indexing
Where possible, the journal informs the author(s), updates the publication status/metadata, and may notify relevant platforms, catalogues, and indexing services to ensure the publication status is properly reflected.
