title: Exploring why and how journal editors retract articles: findings from a qualitative study.
abstract: Editors have a responsibility to retract seriously flawed articles from their journals. However, there appears to be little consistency in journals' policies or procedures for this. In a qualitative study, we therefore interviewed editors of science journals using semi-structured interviews to investigate their experience of retracting articles. We identified potential barriers to retraction, difficulties in the process and also sources of support and encouragement. Our findings have been used as the basis for guidelines developed by the Committee on Publication Ethics.
authors.affiliation: University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK. Peter.williams@ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wager
mesh_terms: D035081:Editorial Policies; D032984:Ethics, Research; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000941:ethics*; D012180:Retraction of Publication as Topic; D015871:Scientific Misconduct; D012941:Social Responsibility