CANDID REFERENCE: retraction/correction playbook — 4 magnitudes from typo to fundamental retraction (adapted from COPE)
Adapted from COPE's August 2025 guidelines (COPE Retraction Guidelines (Aug 2025): "The purpose of retraction is to correct the literature and ensure its integrity, not to punish the authors") + Trust Project + AP standards.
| Magnitude | Response | Visible? |
|---|---|---|
| Typo, broken link, formatting | Silent edit | No |
| Substantive (fact wrong, conclusion stands) | Inline dated correction note | Yes |
| Material (conclusion changes) | Top-of-page notice + dated changelog | Yes, above the fold |
| Fundamentally wrong | Retraction notice replaces body; original archived & linked | Yes; original URL serves the retraction |
Templates
Correction template:
Correction (DATE): An earlier version stated [WRONG CLAIM]. The accurate statement is [CORRECT CLAIM], sourced from [NAMED SOURCE, URL, DATE]. We thank [READER] for flagging this.
Retraction template:
Retraction (DATE): This article has been retracted because [REASON]. The original text is preserved at [ARCHIVE LINK] for transparency. We regret the error and have updated our editorial process to [SPECIFIC CHANGE].
Surface the correction
- Add to a public Corrections log (linked from footer)
- Update
dateModifiedin structured data - Notify any syndicators of the wrong claim
Then learn
A correction without a process change is theater. Every material correction must trace to a specific update in the editorial process — a new check, a new source-verification step, a new automated guard.
See RULE: Publish a public corrections log + retraction policy. A correction without a process change is theater. for the operational rule.