PrimEarly: Journal of Elementary Education and Early Childhood Studies is committed to maintaining the accuracy, reliability, transparency, and traceability of its published articles. When errors or concerns affecting the integrity of a publication are identified, the journal may issue a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction, with reference to the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

These editorial actions aim to correct the scholarly record and provide clear and reliable information to readers. Corrections and retractions do not necessarily indicate intentional misconduct, as unintentional errors may also require editorial action.

1. Reporting Errors or Concerns

Authors who discover a significant error in their published articles must promptly notify the editor of PrimEarly. Readers, reviewers, research participants, institutions, and other interested parties may also report concerns through the journal's official contact channels.

Reports should identify the affected article by its title, DOI, or other relevant publication details, describe the nature of the concern, and provide available supporting evidence.

The editor will assess the nature of the issue, the strength of the available evidence, and its implications for the accuracy, interpretation, ethical acceptability, and reliability of the article. Allegations involving research or publication misconduct will be examined in accordance with the journal's Research Misconduct and Allegations Policy.

Particular attention will be given to concerns involving research data, educational assessments, classroom observations, interviews, and studies involving children, students, teachers, parents, or educational institutions.

2. Corrections

A correction will be issued when an error affects the understanding, factual accuracy, attribution, or completeness of an article but does not undermine its overall reliability.

Correctable errors may include inaccuracies in data, tables, figures, research instruments, statistical results, quotations, author names, institutional affiliations, author contributions, funding statements, or conflict of interest disclosures.

The correction notice will identify the affected article, describe the error, explain the amendment, and provide a clear link to the original publication. Where the article file is updated, substantive changes will be documented to preserve transparency and traceability.

Minor typographical, grammatical, or formatting errors that do not affect the meaning or interpretation of the article may be corrected administratively without issuing a separate correction notice.

3. Expressions of Concern

PrimEarly may issue an expression of concern when serious questions arise about the reliability, integrity, or ethical acceptability of a published article, but the available evidence is inconclusive, an investigation is ongoing, or the resolution of the matter is expected to take considerable time.

Such concerns may involve questionable research data, inconsistencies in reported findings, possible ethical violations involving research participants, or other issues that could affect readers' confidence in the publication.

The expression of concern will describe the issue in a factual and proportionate manner and be linked to the affected article. It does not constitute a final finding of misconduct.

When sufficient information becomes available, the journal will publish a follow-up notice explaining the outcome. Depending on the findings, the journal may issue a correction, retract the article, or state that the concern has been resolved without further action.

4. Retractions

Retraction will be considered when sufficient evidence demonstrates that a published article is unreliable or contains serious problems that cannot be adequately addressed through correction.

Grounds for retraction may include:

• Major errors in data collection, analysis, or interpretation that invalidate the findings or conclusions.
• Fabrication or falsification of research data, results, or supporting evidence.
• Plagiarism or other serious violations of publication ethics.
• Unjustified duplicate publication or substantial undisclosed overlap with previously published work.
• Serious violations of research ethics, including failures to obtain required ethical approval or appropriate informed consent where applicable.
• Manipulation of the peer-review process that compromises the integrity of the editorial decision.
• Undisclosed conflicts of interest that seriously affect the interpretation of the article or the integrity of the publication process.

In research involving children and early childhood education, serious breaches of participant confidentiality, unauthorized disclosure of identifiable information, or other significant ethical violations may also warrant retraction, depending on the circumstances and their implications.

An authorship dispute alone does not automatically justify retraction if the article's content remains reliable and the attribution issue can be resolved through an appropriate correction.

Retraction decisions will be based on the available evidence and editorial assessment, taking account of the authors' explanations and relevant institutional findings where available. Authors will be given an opportunity to respond. However, their agreement is not required when sufficient grounds for retraction have been established.

5. Retraction Notices and Article Status

A retraction notice will clearly identify the affected article, state who is retracting it, and explain the reasons for the decision in a factual and transparent manner.

The notice will be made accessible to readers and linked to the affected article. The article will also contain a reciprocal link to the retraction notice so that readers can readily identify its status.

Retracted articles will generally remain available as part of the scholarly record, with their retracted status clearly indicated on the article webpage and within the published file. Relevant publication metadata will be updated, and indexing services or other relevant providers will be notified where feasible.

Retraction is intended to correct the scholarly record rather than erase publication history. Articles will not be removed merely to conceal errors, misconduct, or the fact that a publication has been retracted.

6. Content Removal in Exceptional Circumstances

Partial or complete removal of published content will be considered only in exceptional circumstances, such as when removal is necessary to protect an individual's privacy or safety, address a legal rights infringement that cannot be resolved through correction, or comply with applicable legal obligations.

This provision is particularly relevant to research involving children, where the disclosure of identifiable information, photographs, interview records, or other sensitive participant materials may create risks to privacy or safety.

Where removal is necessary, the journal will retain the bibliographic information and provide a notice explaining the removal to the extent permitted by applicable confidentiality and legal requirements. The journal will seek to preserve the transparency of the publication record while protecting the rights and welfare of affected individuals.

7. Decision-Making and Appeals

Editors responsible for handling cases must be free from relevant conflicts of interest. Where necessary, PrimEarly may consult independent experts, request additional evidence from the authors, or seek clarification from the relevant institutions.

The publisher supports the implementation of editorial decisions and the timely updating of the publication record.

Authors or other affected parties may appeal a decision through the journal's official contact channels by providing clear reasons and any additional supporting evidence. Appeals will be assessed by an individual without a conflict of interest and, wherever possible, by someone who was not involved in the original decision.

An appeal does not automatically suspend editorial action necessary to inform readers of significant concerns or protect the integrity of the scholarly record.

PrimEarly is committed to handling corrections, expressions of concern, and retractions fairly, transparently, and consistently with publication ethics principles, while safeguarding research participants and maintaining public confidence in educational research.