A retraction doesn’t mean “everything is fake,” and a correction doesn’t mean “ignore it.” It means you need to know what changed and whether the corrected record still supports your claim.
The fast check
Retraction/correction quick pass
- Resolve the paper via DOI/PMID (preferred) and open the publisher record.
- Look for banners/labels: “retracted,” “corrected,” “erratum,” “expression of concern.”
- Open the linked notice (retraction / correction / expression of concern) and read the reason summary.
- If you rely on a specific figure/result, confirm it is not the part under correction or dispute.
- Record the status + date + a short note in your notes/bibliography.
Where to check (in order)
- Publisher landing page (best source of truth for labels and linked notices).
- Crossmark / “updates” widget (often on the publisher page for journals that support it).
- Index records: PubMed for biomedical papers; other discipline indexes for your field.
- Independent trackers (useful as a signal, then confirm on the publisher record).
- If you only have a PDF: search the title + first author + year to find the canonical record.
Avoid the “PDF trap”
A saved PDF can outlive the correction/retraction notice. Always check the canonical publisher record (or DOI landing page) before you cite.
What the common labels mean
- Retracted: the journal/publisher is formally withdrawing the article from the reliable record (you should not use it as evidence).
- Corrected / Erratum: specific issues were fixed; the paper may still be usable depending on what changed.
- Expression of concern: the publisher is warning readers while an investigation is ongoing; treat as uncertain.
- Withdrawn / Removed: sometimes used for early versions or severe issues; follow the publisher explanation.
- Updated / Versioned: some platforms publish living documents; cite the exact version you used.
What to do in writing
- If retracted: avoid using it as evidence; replace with stronger sources.
- If corrected: cite the corrected record and update any affected claims.
- If “expression of concern”: treat as uncertain and downgrade certainty.
How to update your draft (a practical workflow)
Draft update steps
- List where you used the paper (claims, numbers, figures, background).
- If retracted: remove the claim or replace the evidence; don’t “keep it with a caveat” for factual claims.
- If corrected: compare your used detail against the correction notice; update the claim if impacted.
- If uncertain (expression of concern / unclear notice): change the wording to reflect uncertainty and add “needs review.”
- Re-run your bibliography check to ensure you didn’t copy forward the old citation.
What to do in a bibliography (so readers aren’t misled)
- Prefer citing the canonical record (DOI/PMID/ISBN) rather than a random PDF link.
- If retracted and you must reference it (e.g., meta-research): make the status explicit (e.g., “Retracted”).
- If corrected: cite the corrected record, and optionally cite the correction notice as a separate entry if relevant.
- Keep dates: retractions/corrections have timelines; readers benefit from knowing when the status changed.
Automate the first pass (then verify)
For speed, treat this as a two-step process: (1) resolve identifiers and open the canonical record, then (2) read the notice. Automation helps with step (1); the judgment is in step (2).
Fast tooling flow
- Paste DOI/PMID into a verification tool and open the resolved publisher page.
- Scan for status labels and linked notices.
- If a notice exists, read the summary and confirm whether your specific claim is affected.
Conservative default
If you can’t determine whether the corrected item affects your claim, the correct action is “needs review,” not guessing.