Dealing of Misconduct

Retraction Policy

The Editor-in-Chief of Kertas of Automation and Robotics Science (KARS) may consider the retraction of a published article under specific circumstances to uphold the integrity of the scholarly record.

Grounds for Retraction

An article may be retracted if:

  • There is clear evidence that the findings are unreliable due to a major error (e.g., miscalculation, flawed methodology) or research misconduct such as data fabrication or image manipulation.

  • The article constitutes plagiarism.

  • The findings have been previously published elsewhere without proper citation, acknowledgment, or permission (i.e., redundant or duplicate publication).

  • The article includes unauthorized use of data, materials, or content owned by third parties.

  • There is a copyright infringement or other legal issue such as libel, privacy breach, or defamation.

  • The research violates recognized ethical standards.

  • The article was published following a compromised or manipulated peer-review process.

  • A significant conflict of interest was not disclosed and may have unduly influenced the editorial or peer-review decisions.

Retraction Notice Guidelines

When a retraction is issued:

  • A formal retraction notice will be linked to all online versions of the retracted article.

  • The notice will clearly identify the retracted article, including its title, authors, and DOI.

  • The document will be clearly labeled as a Retraction to avoid confusion with corrections or comments.

  • Retractions will be issued promptly to prevent further dissemination of potentially flawed or unethical findings.

  • Retraction notices will be freely accessible to ensure transparency and accountability.

  • The notice will state who is issuing the retraction (e.g., author, editor, or publisher).

  • The reason(s) for the retraction will be clearly and objectively stated using non-inflammatory and factual language.

When Retractions Are Not Appropriate

KARS will generally not issue a retraction if:

  • There is a dispute over authorship, but the integrity of the research is not in question.

  • The article contains minor errors that do not compromise the overall findings, and a correction or erratum is sufficient.

  • Alleged misconduct remains under investigation or there is inconclusive evidence.

  • Conflicts of interest were disclosed post-publication but are not considered to have significantly affected the research or its conclusions.