Fortification of retraction notices to improve their transparency and usefulness

Abstract

Retraction notices (RNs) are historical documents and must be as informative as possible to ensure the scholarly record is complete. RNs must be complete, informative, open, transparent, and comprehensive, and must include clear indication of fault and responsibility. A guideline about what RNs should or should not contain will help to ensure consistency and completeness. Declarations‐related retractions can be prevented by conducting a thorough check in the initial quality check. The issuer of the RN should be named in the notice, and may include the name of research institutions and funders if necessary. To ensure complete transparency, RNs should include details of any investigation that supported the decision.