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4 months ago in Scholarly Publishing By Raghu

My paper was published six months ago, and I’ve just discovered a significant error in one of the figures. What is the procedure for correcting the published record?

I realized that a mislabeled axis in a key graph changes the interpretation of a secondary finding, though the main conclusion stands. I'm embarrassed but want to fix it. Do I contact the editor, and what kind of correction is appropriate for this level of error?

All Answers (3 Answers In All)

By MarylnProre Answered 2 months ago

Acting swiftly and transparently is a mark of professionalism, not failure. First, assess the error's impact: does it change the core conclusions? If not, an Erratum (for a minor, non-conclusion-altering error) or Corrigendum (for an author error) is appropriate. Email the journal's production editor and the handling editor immediately. Provide the exact citation, a clear description of the error, the corrected version (a new, accurate figure), and a brief statement of impact. Most reputable journals have a formal process for this. They will typically publish a short, linked correction notice online. The key is to be proactive and precise. I've had to do this; the editors appreciated the honesty. It protects the scholarly record and your reputation far more than hoping no one notices. In severe cases where conclusions are invalidated, a retraction may be necessary, but that is a separate, more serious process.

Replied 2 months ago

By Raghu

Thank you so much MarylnProre.

By Navika Answered 1 month ago

I’ve been on both sides of this as an author and later as an associate editor and I can say this happens more often than people admit. Journals don’t expect papers to be flawless forever; they expect authors to be responsible stewards of the record. Once you’ve confirmed the error, don’t overthink the timing six months is not “too late.”

When you contact the journal, be concise and factual. Editors appreciate when authors clearly state what went wrong, how it happened, and whether anything else in the paper is affected. If the conclusions remain unchanged, say that explicitly. In my experience, correction notices are usually processed smoothly and don’t carry any stigma. If anything, they signal credibility.

Replied 1 month ago

By Raghu

Thanks a lot for this perspective! Hearing that this is fairly common and not frowned upon really puts my mind at ease. Super helpful advice.

By Manish Kaushik Answered 1 month ago

I ran into this exact situation about a year after publication an axis label was wrong, which then raised questions about the figure itself. What helped was first documenting everything for myself before contacting the journal: what the error was, where it appeared, and why the corrected figure was accurate. That made communication with the editors much smoother.

One thing I’d add is to check whether the paper has already been cited. If so, acting quickly is even more important, because the correction will be permanently linked to the original article. It might feel uncomfortable, but correcting the record early prevents confusion later and reflects well on you as a researcher.

Replied 1 month ago

By Raghu

Really appreciate you sharing this it helps a lot to hear from someone who’s actually been through it. I’ll definitely document everything carefully before reaching out. Thanks again!

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