ICMJE | Recommendations | Corrections and Version Control

<!DOCTYPE html> <html> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>ICMJE | Recommendations | Corrections and Version Control</title> <meta name="viewport" content="initial-scale=1.0"> <link href="/css/normalize.css" rel="stylesheet"> <link href="/css/styles.css" rel="stylesheet"> <link href="/css/font-awesome.min.css" rel="stylesheet">    <html lang="en-GB">  <script type="text/javascript" src="//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.2.6/jquery.min.js"></script> <script src="/js/jquery.placeholder.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/js/scripts.js" type="text/javascript"></script>  <script type="text/javascript"> var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'UA-45669522-1']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); </script>  </head> <body id="recommendations">  <header> <div class="container"> <div class="inner"> <a href="/"><div id="logo">ICMJE | International Committee of Medical Journal Editors</div></a>  <form id="search_form" method="get" action="/fcgi/search"> <div class="left"> <input type="text" id="search_form_input" class="form_field" name="q" size="21" maxlength="120" placeholder="Enter search terms"> </div> <div class="right"> <div class="arrow-left"></div> <input type="submit" value="Search" class="form_btn"> </div> </form>   <nav> <div id="nav_toggle"> <i class="icon-reorder icon-large icon-light"></i> </div> <ul> <li class="recommendations-link"><a href="/recommendations/">Recommendations</a> <div class="arrow-down"></div> <ul class="submenu"> <li class="browse"><a href="/recommendations/browse/">Browse</a> <ul> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/about-the-recommendations/">About the Recommendations</a> <ul> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/about-the-recommendations/purpose-of-the-recommendations.html">Purpose of the Recommendations</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/about-the-recommendations/who-should-use-the-recommendations.html">Who Should Use the Recommendations?</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/about-the-recommendations/history-of-the-recommendations.html">History of the Recommendations</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/">Roles & Responsibilities</a> <ul> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html">Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/author-responsibilities--conflicts-of-interest.html">Disclosure of Financial and Non-Financial Relationships and Activities, and Conflicts of Interest</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/responsibilities-in-the-submission-and-peer-peview-process.html">Responsibilities in the Submission and Peer-Review Process</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/journal-owners-and-editorial-freedom.html">Journal Owners and Editorial Freedom</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/protection-of-research-participants.html">Protection of Research Participants</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/">Publishing & Editorial Issues</a> <ul> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/corrections-and-version-control.html">Corrections, Retractions, Republications and Version Control</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/scientific-misconduct-expressions-of-concern-and-retraction.html">Scientific Misconduct, Expressions of Concern, and Retraction</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/copyright.html">Copyright</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/overlapping-publications.html">Overlapping Publications</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/correspondence.html">Correspondence</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/fees.html">Fees</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/supplements-theme-issues-and-special-series.html">Supplements, Theme Issues, and Special Series</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/sponsorship-or-partnership.html">Sponsorships and Partnerships</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/electronic-publishing.html">Electronic Publishing</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/advertising.html">Advertising</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/journals-and-the-media.html">Journals and the Media</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/clinical-trial-registration.html">Clinical Trials</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/manuscript-preparation/">Manuscript Preparation and Submission</a> <ul> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/manuscript-preparation/preparing-for-submission.html">Preparing a Manuscript for Submission to a Medical Journal</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/manuscript-preparation/sending-the-submission.html">Sending the Manuscript to the Journal</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/recommendations/translations/">Translations</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/archives/">Archives</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/subscribe-to-changes/">Subscribe to Changes</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="conflicts-of-interest-link"><a href="/disclosure-of-interest/">Disclosure of Interest</a> <div class="arrow-down"></div> <ul class="submenu"> <li><a href="/disclosure-of-interest/translations/">Translations</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="journals-following-the-icmje-recommendations-link larger"><a href="/journals-following-the-icmje-recommendations/">Journals <br/><small>Stating That They Follow the ICMJE Recommendations</small></a> <div class="arrow-down"></div> <ul class="submenu"> <li><a href="/journals-following-the-icmje-recommendations/journal-listing-request-form/">Journal Listing Request Form</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="about-icmje-link"><a href="/about-icmje/">About ICMJE</a> <div class="arrow-down"></div> <ul class="submenu"> <li><a href="/about-icmje/contact-icmje/">Contact ICMJE</a></li> <li><a href="/about-icmje/other-resources/">Other Resources</a></li> <li><a href="/about-icmje/faqs/">FAQs</a> <ul> <li><a href="/about-icmje/faqs/clinical-trials-registration/">Clinical Trials Registration</a></li> <li><a href="/about-icmje/faqs/icmje-membership/">ICMJE Membership</a></li> <li><a href="/about-icmje/faqs/icmje-recommendations/">ICMJE Recommendations ("The Uniform Requirements")</a></li> <li><a href="/about-icmje/faqs/conflict-of-interest-disclosure-forms/">Disclosure Forms</a></li> <li><a href="/about-icmje/faqs/miscellaneous/">Miscellaneous</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="news-link"><a href="/news-and-editorials/">News & Editorials</a></li> </ul> </nav> <div class="clear"></div>  <div class="clear"></div> </div> </div> </header>  <div id="content"> <div class="container">  <div id="main"> <div class="inner"> <div id="breadcrumbs"> <a href="/">Home</a> <i class="icon-angle-right"></i> <a href="../../">Recommendations</a> <i class="icon-angle-right"></i> <a href="../">Browse</a> <i class="icon-angle-right"></i> <a href="../publishing-and-editorial-issues">Publishing & Editorial Issues</a> <i class="icon-angle-right"></i> Corrections, Retractions, Republications and Version Control </div> <h1>Corrections, Retractions, Republications and Version Control</h1> <p>Honest errors are a part of science and publishing and require publication of a correction when they are detected. Corrections are needed for errors of fact. Matters of debate are best handled as letters to the editor, as print or electronic correspondence, or as posts in a journal-sponsored online forum. Updates of previous publications (e.g., an updated systematic review or clinical guideline) are considered a new publication rather than a version of a previously published article.</p> <p>If a correction is needed, journals should follow these minimum standards:</p> <ul class="icons-ul"> <li><i class="icon-li icon-ok"></i>The journal should publish a correction notice as soon as possible detailing changes from and citing the original publication; the correction should be on an electronic or numbered print page that is included in an electronic or a print Table of Contents to ensure proper indexing. </li> <li><i class="icon-li icon-ok"></i>The journal also should post a new article version with details of the changes from the original version and the date(s) on which the changes were made.</li> <li><i class="icon-li icon-ok"></i>The journal should archive all prior versions of the article. This archive can be either directly accessible to readers or can be made available to the reader on request.</li> <li><i class="icon-li icon-ok"></i>Previous electronic versions should prominently note that there are more recent versions of the article.</li> <li><i class="icon-li icon-ok"></i>The citation should be to the most recent version.</li> </ul> <p>Pervasive errors can result from a coding problem or a miscalculation and may result in extensive inaccuracies throughout an article. If such errors do not change the direction or significance of the results, interpretations, and conclusions of the article, a correction should be published that follows the minimum standards noted above.</p> <p>Errors serious enough to invalidate a paper's results and conclusions may require retraction. However, retraction with republication (also referred to as “replacement”) can be considered in cases where honest error (e.g., a misclassification or miscalculation) leads to a major change in the direction or significance of the results, interpretations, and conclusions. If the error is judged to be unintentional, the underlying science appears valid, and the changed version of the paper survives further review and editorial scrutiny, then retraction with republication of the changed paper, with an explanation, allows full correction of the scientific literature. In such cases, it is helpful to show the extent of the changes in supplementary material or in an appendix, for complete transparency.</p> <hr> <p><span class="badge">Next:</span> <a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/scientific-misconduct-expressions-of-concern-and-retraction.html">Scientific Misconduct, Expressions of Concern, and Retraction</a></p> </div> </div>  <div id="sidebar"> <div class="inner">  <nav> <div id="nav_toggle"> <i class="icon-reorder icon-large icon-light"></i> </div> <ul> <li class="recommendations-link"><a href="/recommendations/">Recommendations</a> <div class="arrow-down"></div> <ul class="submenu"> <li class="browse"><a href="/recommendations/browse/">Browse</a> <ul> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/about-the-recommendations/">About the Recommendations</a> <ul> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/about-the-recommendations/purpose-of-the-recommendations.html">Purpose of the Recommendations</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/about-the-recommendations/who-should-use-the-recommendations.html">Who Should Use the Recommendations?</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/about-the-recommendations/history-of-the-recommendations.html">History of the Recommendations</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/">Roles & Responsibilities</a> <ul> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html">Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/author-responsibilities--conflicts-of-interest.html">Disclosure of Financial and Non-Financial Relationships and Activities, and Conflicts of Interest</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/responsibilities-in-the-submission-and-peer-peview-process.html">Responsibilities in the Submission and Peer-Review Process</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/journal-owners-and-editorial-freedom.html">Journal Owners and Editorial Freedom</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/protection-of-research-participants.html">Protection of Research Participants</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/">Publishing & Editorial Issues</a> <ul> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/corrections-and-version-control.html">Corrections, Retractions, Republications and Version Control</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/scientific-misconduct-expressions-of-concern-and-retraction.html">Scientific Misconduct, Expressions of Concern, and Retraction</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/copyright.html">Copyright</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/overlapping-publications.html">Overlapping Publications</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/correspondence.html">Correspondence</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/fees.html">Fees</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/supplements-theme-issues-and-special-series.html">Supplements, Theme Issues, and Special Series</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/sponsorship-or-partnership.html">Sponsorships and Partnerships</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/electronic-publishing.html">Electronic Publishing</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/advertising.html">Advertising</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/journals-and-the-media.html">Journals and the Media</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/publishing-and-editorial-issues/clinical-trial-registration.html">Clinical Trials</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/manuscript-preparation/">Manuscript Preparation and Submission</a> <ul> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/manuscript-preparation/preparing-for-submission.html">Preparing a Manuscript for Submission to a Medical Journal</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/browse/manuscript-preparation/sending-the-submission.html">Sending the Manuscript to the Journal</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/recommendations/translations/">Translations</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/archives/">Archives</a></li> <li><a href="/recommendations/subscribe-to-changes/">Subscribe to Changes</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="conflicts-of-interest-link"><a href="/disclosure-of-interest/">Disclosure of Interest</a> <div class="arrow-down"></div> <ul class="submenu"> <li><a href="/disclosure-of-interest/translations/">Translations</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="journals-following-the-icmje-recommendations-link larger"><a href="/journals-following-the-icmje-recommendations/">Journals <br/><small>Stating That They Follow the ICMJE Recommendations</small></a> <div class="arrow-down"></div> <ul class="submenu"> <li><a href="/journals-following-the-icmje-recommendations/journal-listing-request-form/">Journal Listing Request Form</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="about-icmje-link"><a href="/about-icmje/">About ICMJE</a> <div class="arrow-down"></div> <ul class="submenu"> <li><a href="/about-icmje/contact-icmje/">Contact ICMJE</a></li> <li><a href="/about-icmje/other-resources/">Other Resources</a></li> <li><a href="/about-icmje/faqs/">FAQs</a> <ul> <li><a href="/about-icmje/faqs/clinical-trials-registration/">Clinical Trials Registration</a></li> <li><a href="/about-icmje/faqs/icmje-membership/">ICMJE Membership</a></li> <li><a href="/about-icmje/faqs/icmje-recommendations/">ICMJE Recommendations ("The Uniform Requirements")</a></li> <li><a href="/about-icmje/faqs/conflict-of-interest-disclosure-forms/">Disclosure Forms</a></li> <li><a href="/about-icmje/faqs/miscellaneous/">Miscellaneous</a></li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li class="news-link"><a href="/news-and-editorials/">News & Editorials</a></li> </ul> </nav> <div class="clear"></div> <div class="promo"> <div class="inner"> <p><span class="badge"><i class="icon-envelope icon-large"></i> Keep up-to-date</span> <br>Request to receive an E-mail when the Recommendations are updated. </p> <p><a href="/recommendations/subscribe-to-changes/">Subscribe to Changes</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>  <div id="scroll_stop"></div> <footer> <div class="container"> <div class="inner"> <p> © 2024 International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. All Rights Reserved.<br> <small>Site designed and hosted by <a href="http://www.annals.org" target="_blank">Annals of Internal Medicine</a> / <a href="http://www.acponline.org" target="_blank">American College of Physicians</a>.</small> </p> </div> </div> </footer> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

ICMJE | Recommendations | Corrections and Version Control