It is our policy to update, correct or retract the published scientific record according to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Core Practices. This applies to content and associated supplementary material.

Whenever it is recognised that a significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distorted report has been published, it will be corrected with due prominence. This could take various forms:

• For an item that has been published online, a corrected version with the same DOI will be made available. Only the new version will be available and the html and PDF files will be updated with the corrections.
• For an item that has been published in a hard copy format, where possible a formal erratum will be printed.
• After an appropriate investigation, an item may be retracted.
• Correction/retraction notices and errata will be written so that the reader can identify and understand the correction in context with the errors made or why the article is being retracted.
• Correction/retraction notices and errata will be published in a form that enables indexing and abstracting services to identify and link corrections and retractions.
• A notice of duplicate publication will reference both of the duplicate articles.

Corrections

We encourage readers and authors to notify us if they find errors. We undertake to work with authors to correct significant published errors. The Geological Society of London Publishing House, together with the journal or book editor(s), will determine if an error will be corrected. We will consider issuing a correction if:

• The scientific record is seriously affected, for example, with regard to the scientific accuracy of published information.
• A small portion of an otherwise reliable publication proves to be misleading (especially because of honest error).
• The author/contributor/funder list is incorrect (i.e. a deserving author has been omitted, or somebody who does not meet authorship criteria has been included, or there is an error in the funding information section).

Whilst we welcome feedback, not all errors will need correction. We will not usually publish a correction that does not affect the contribution in a material way, or, if the issue does not significantly impair the reader's understanding of the contribution, e.g. a spelling mistake or grammatical error.

An Accepted Manuscript (the unedited, manuscript version of an article) is not usually corrected as it is replaced by the Version of Record.

Retractions

We are committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record and thus sometimes it may be necessary to retract articles. We follow Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Retraction Guidelines and will consider issuing a retraction notice if:

• We have clear evidence that the findings are unreliable, either as a result of major error (e.g. miscalculation or experimental error), or as a result of fabrication (e.g. of data) or falsification (e.g. image manipulation).
• It constitutes plagiarism.
• The findings have previously been published elsewhere without proper attribution to previous sources or disclosure to the editor, permission to republish, or justification (i.e. cases of redundant publication).
• It contains material or data without authorization for use.
• Copyright has been infringed or there is some other serious legal issue (e.g. libel, privacy).
• It reports unethical research.
• It has been published solely on the basis of a compromised or manipulated peer review process.
• The author(s) failed to disclose a major competing interest or conflict of interest that, in the view of the editor, would have unduly affected interpretations of the work or recommendations by editors and peer reviewers.

The article to be retracted will be identified by including the words ‘Retracted’ at the beginning of the title and will be listed in the relevant table of contents. The retraction notice will cite and link to the original electronic publication and enable indexing and abstracting services to identify it.