Retraction Policy

The SKYHAWK Editorial Team is committed to maintaining the integrity and reliability of the scholarly record. A published article may be retracted when there is clear evidence that its findings, content, or publication process violates research or publication ethics.

Retraction decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief in consultation with the Editorial Board and, where appropriate, in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Grounds for Retraction

SKYHAWK may consider retracting a published article when:

  1. There is clear evidence that the findings are unreliable due to research misconduct, such as data fabrication, data falsification, or other serious ethical violations.
  2. The findings have previously been published elsewhere without appropriate cross-referencing, permission, or sufficient justification, resulting in duplicate or excessive publication.
  3. The article contains plagiarism or substantial unauthorized reproduction of another author's work.
  4. The research reported in the article violates applicable ethical standards or involves unethical research practices.
  5. Serious errors are identified that substantially invalidate the findings or conclusions of the article.

Expression of Concern

SKYHAWK may publish an Expression of Concern when there are serious concerns regarding the reliability or integrity of a published article but the available evidence is insufficient to justify immediate retraction.

An Expression of Concern may be issued when:

  • There is inconclusive evidence of research or publication misconduct.
  • There is evidence that the findings may be unreliable, but the relevant institution does not investigate the matter.
  • An investigation into the alleged misconduct has not been conducted or is unlikely to be conducted fairly, neutrally, or conclusively.
  • An investigation is ongoing and a final decision is not expected within a reasonable period.

An Expression of Concern will remain associated with the published article until the matter is resolved and an appropriate editorial decision can be made.

Correction

SKYHAWK may publish a correction when a published article contains a limited error that does not invalidate the overall findings or conclusions.

A correction may be issued when:

  • A small portion of reliable information is inaccurate or misleading due to an unintentional error.
  • There is an error in the list of authors or contributors, such as the omission of an eligible author or the inclusion of an individual who does not meet the authorship criteria.
  • Other minor errors are identified that can be corrected without retracting the entire article.

Corrections will be clearly linked to the original article to maintain transparency and preserve the integrity of the academic record.

Retraction Notice

When an article is retracted, SKYHAWK will publish a clear retraction notice explaining the reason for the retraction. The original article will remain accessible where appropriate but will be clearly marked as "Retracted" to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

The retraction notice will identify the article, provide the reason for retraction, and indicate the date of the retraction. Retractions will not be used as a means of correcting minor errors that do not affect the validity of the article.

Withdrawal of Submitted Manuscripts

Authors are strongly discouraged from withdrawing manuscripts after the publication process has begun, including during peer review, editing, or layout. This is because SKYHAWK has already allocated editorial and administrative resources to the manuscript.

If an author requests withdrawal after the review or publication process has begun, SKYHAWK may require the author to reimburse the costs associated with the processing of the manuscript. The withdrawal request must be submitted formally by email using the same email address used during the submission and correspondence process.

Reference

The SKYHAWK Retraction Policy follows the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) regarding article retraction, correction, and expressions of concern.

COPE Retraction Guidelines: Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) – Retraction Guidelines