Bentham Open Science recognizes the significance of Post Publication Discussions in advancing scientific discourse, and our journals welcome such engagement.

Post Publication Discussions may be published online after undergoing a review process and are typically accompanied by a response from the original authors.

Instructions for Authors are available on the websites of individual journal, and should be referred to for information regarding submission criteria and the peer review process for post-publication discussions.

Handling Post-Publication Matters

To uphold the integrity of scientific research, Bentham Open Science thoroughly investigates concerns raised by authors and/or readers. Authors are always given the opportunity to respond to all complaints or comments. In some cases, reviewers may be asked to re-evaluate the original data and consult with subject-matter experts to reach a fair and informed conclusion. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, the following actions may be taken:

• A Corrigendum may be issued.
• An Editor’s Note and/or Editorial Expression of Concern may be published. A second notification may follow once the investigation is complete.
• The article may be retracted.

If the outcome of the investigation highlights some serious issues, such as fraud or academic misconduct, the author's affiliated institution will be informed.

As it maintains its commitment to transparency, Bentham Open Science intends to address issues of scientific validity rather than targeting any individuals. Where applicable, readers may be referred to the findings of institutional investigations—provided those findings are publicly accessible. While investigations are ongoing (which may take considerable time), an Editor’s Note¹ and/or an Editorial Expression of Concern (EEoC)² will be published to alert readers to potential issues, in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Editor’s Notes and EEoCs are replaced by publishing a revision―such as a corrigendum or retraction―once the investigation concludes.

¹An Editor's Note is a non-indexed message to readers indicating that an investigation is underway concerning a published article. It serves as an interim update.

²An Editorial Expression of Concern (EEoC) is a formal, indexed declaration issued by the editor to alert readers about serious concerns related to a published article. EEoC’s are assigned DOIs and indexed in major databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus.