The authors' response in a recent Elsevier journal article typically involves a formal process to maintain the integrity and transparency of the scientific record, as outlined by Elsevier’s correction and retraction policies.
Short answer: When authors identify errors in their published Elsevier articles, they are expected to promptly notify the journal, which then assesses the issue and issues a linked correction notice—such as a corrigendum or erratum—to transparently amend the scientific record without altering the original article.
Understanding Elsevier’s Commitment to Scientific Integrity
Elsevier places paramount importance on the integrity, completeness, and permanence of the scholarly record. According to Elsevier’s policy, published journal articles are considered a permanent and historic record of scientific communication. Thus, even when errors arise post-publication, the original article remains accessible and unaltered to preserve the academic archive. Instead, any necessary corrections are appended as separate notices linked to the original article. This approach ensures transparency and trust, allowing the scientific community to see both the original content and any subsequent amendments.
The responsibility for deciding how to handle corrections lies primarily with the journal editor, who operates independently but in accordance with the journal’s editorial board policies and legal requirements. When authors discover an error, they must contact the journal promptly, typically through the corresponding author. The editor then reviews the proposed correction and may consult with editorial team members or Elsevier’s Research Integrity & Publishing Ethics Center. If needed, the correction undergoes further peer review before a final decision is made.
Types of Author Responses and Corrections
The main formal responses to errors in published articles include corrigenda, errata, editor’s notes, expressions of concern, and in extreme cases, retractions or withdrawals.
A corrigendum is issued when authors need to correct an error or omission that does not affect the overall results or conclusions of the article. In this case, the authors draft the corrigendum, which is reviewed and approved by the editor and must have the agreement of all authors. This corrigendum is permanently linked to the original article, making the correction transparent without removing or altering the original content.
An erratum is similar but is issued when the publisher, rather than the authors, is responsible for the error—such as a production mistake during publication. Like corrigenda, errata are linked to the original article.
Editor’s notes serve as alerts to readers about issues that do not warrant formal corrections or retractions but still merit caution. For example, if unethical behavior affected the review process causing minor changes, or if there is an unresolved authorship dispute that does not impugn the validity of the data, an editor’s note may be issued to provide context.
Expressions of concern are more serious and inform readers of potential reliability issues affecting parts or all of a published work, often pending further investigation. These remain part of the permanent record.
In rare and serious cases, articles may be retracted or withdrawn, but Elsevier emphasizes preserving the scholarly record as much as possible, so retractions are carefully considered and accompanied by clear notices.
The Role of Authors in the Correction Process
Authors play a critical role in maintaining the accuracy of their published work. Elsevier’s policy explicitly requires authors who discover errors to contact their journal immediately with details of the problem. The corresponding author generally communicates with the editorial team, ensuring all co-authors agree on the proposed correction. This collaborative process maintains transparency and accountability.
Once notified, editors review the correction request, possibly involving additional peer review or consultation with ethics experts. The editor then determines the appropriate correction mechanism, ensuring that the scientific record reflects the most accurate and trustworthy information possible.
Elsevier’s policy is regularly reviewed and updated to align with evolving standards and best practices in scholarly publishing. This ongoing refinement underscores the publisher’s commitment to the integrity of the scientific literature.
Contextual Notes on Accessibility and Platform Use
While the core of the authors' response concerns correction procedures, it is worth noting Elsevier’s encouragement of using modern, supported web browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Safari 14 or newer to access articles and related corrections. This is part of ensuring that the scientific community can readily access and benefit from the corrected scholarly record.
Elsevier offers extensive tools and services to authors, including journal finders, article transfer services, and language editing, which help authors navigate the publishing and correction process smoothly.
Broader Scholarly Publishing Context
Elsevier is one of the largest academic publishers, with over 2,900 titles across scientific disciplines. Its policies on corrections are part of a larger ecosystem of scholarly publishing standards designed to preserve trust and reliability in the literature.
Complementary platforms, such as PubMed Central (PMC), archive millions of biomedical articles and ensure long-term access to corrected and updated content. PMC, for example, hosts over 11.7 million articles, including many from Elsevier journals, and supports compliance with funder mandates and preservation of the scientific record.
Takeaway
In sum, when authors respond to errors in their Elsevier-published articles, the process is designed to uphold the integrity and transparency of the scientific record. Authors must promptly notify the journal, collaborate on drafting corrections, and agree on the nature of the amendment. Editors then evaluate and publish linked notices—corrigenda, errata, or expressions of concern—ensuring the original article remains accessible while clearly documenting changes. This meticulous approach reflects Elsevier’s commitment to maintaining trust in scientific communication and provides a model for responsible scholarly publishing.
For researchers and readers alike, this means that scientific articles remain part of an open, transparent dialogue, where errors can be corrected without erasing the historical record, fostering continued confidence in the evolving body of scientific knowledge.
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Likely supporting sources:
elsevier.com (Article Correction, Retraction and Removal Policy overview) elsevier.com (Elsevier Journal Catalog and author services) ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (PubMed Central full-text archive and compliance) sciencedirect.com (Elsevier’s main platform for article access) nationalacademies.org (for general standards in scholarly publishing) springer.com (similar correction policies in academic publishing) nature.com (editorial standards and correction notices) wiley.com (best practices for scientific integrity and article correction)
