Retraction Policy

The Editorial Board of the journal Scientific Herald of Chernivtsi University. Series: Germanic Philology maintains a clear, transparent, and accountable procedure for the retraction of publications in full compliance with international standards of publication ethics, specifically the guidelines provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). The primary purpose of retraction is to correct the scholarly record and ensure the integrity of scientific research in cases of significant flaws or ethical breaches.

Grounds for retraction include confirmed instances of academic misconduct, such as plagiarism, self-plagiarism, the fabrication or falsification of research data, improper attribution of authorship, or the concealment of conflicts of interest. Furthermore, articles may be retracted due to unintentional errors that fundamentally undermine the reliability of the research findings or upon the receipt of substantiated complaints from readers, reviewers, or academic institutions regarding ethical or factual discrepancies.

The retraction process may be initiated by the Editorial Board, the author(s), reviewers, or authorized representatives of scientific institutions. During the investigation phase, the Editorial Board conducts an internal audit to verify the validity of the claims, involving independent experts where necessary. The author is formally notified in writing of the allegations and is granted the right to provide explanations or supporting evidence. The final decision is reached collectively by the Editorial Board, based on the principles of transparency, objectivity, and impartiality.

Upon a formal decision to retract, the Editorial Board publishes an official retraction notice on the journal's website, detailing the article title, author names, specific reasons for the retraction, and the date of the decision. The original article remains in the electronic archive to maintain the permanence of the digital record; however, the PDF file is prominently marked with a "Retracted" watermark on every page. The Editorial Board continuously monitors international best practices and updates these internal regulations to align with the latest global recommendations on publication ethics and academic integrity.