Crossmark Policy

Effective date: 1 September 2026

About Crossmark

Crossmark is a Crossref service that gives readers a standardised way to find the current status of a piece of published content. By applying the Crossmark button to the articles it publishes, Runnymede Academic Press (RAP) commits to maintaining the scholarly record and to making clear to readers when, and in what way, a published work has changed since its original publication.

Clicking the Crossmark button on any RAP article tells the reader whether the document is current or has been updated, corrected, withdrawn, or retracted, and links to any related post-publication notices.

Our commitment to the version of record

RAP publishes a single authoritative version of record for each article, hosted at a persistent DOI. Once an article is published, RAP does not make silent changes to the version of record. Any substantive change after publication is documented through one of the post-publication notices described below, each of which is itself registered with Crossref and linked to the original article.

Corrections

Where a published article contains an error that affects the record but not its central findings, for example, an error in a figure, reference, author name or affiliation, or funding statement, RAP will issue a correction (erratum). The correction:

• is published as a separate, citable item with its own DOI;
• is linked bidirectionally to the original article in the Crossref metadata;
• clearly states what was changed and why.

The original article remains available and is updated to link prominently to the correction.

Retractions

RAP follows the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) on retractions. A retraction is a mechanism for correcting the published record, not for penalising authors. An article will be retracted where its main findings are demonstrably unreliable, whether through honest error or through research or publication misconduct, or where, for example, it reports unethical research, infringes copyright or other legal rights, relies on fabricated or manipulated data or images, results from systematic manipulation of the publication process, involves undisclosed use of artificial intelligence that undermines the integrity of the work, or is subject to a serious, well-founded concern that cannot be resolved by correction.

A retraction notice:

• is published as a separate, citable item with its own DOI, linked to the original article;
• states who is retracting the article and the reason(s) for retraction;
• is freely available to all readers.

In line with COPE guidance, RAP publishes a retraction as soon as it is satisfied that an article is seriously flawed or misleading; where reaching that decision will take time, RAP will issue an expression of concern in the interim. The original article is retained for the integrity of the record but is clearly and unmistakably marked as retracted on every version, including the landing page, PDF, and metadata, and is labelled so that bibliographic and indexing services can identify its status. RAP communicates the status of corrected, withdrawn, and retracted content in accordance with the NISO Communication of Retractions, Removals, and Expressions of Concern (CREC) recommended practice (NISO RP-45-2024), which COPE has endorsed, so that the editorial status of an article is evident to both human readers and automated systems.

Expressions of concern

Where RAP becomes aware of a well-founded concern about a published article that remains under investigation, and where waiting for a conclusion would not serve readers’ interests, RAP may issue an expression of concern in line with COPE guidance, for example, where resolving a credible concern is likely to take some time. An expression of concern is published as a linked, citable notice, and is supplemented or replaced by a correction or retraction once the investigation concludes.

Withdrawals and removals

In rare circumstances RAP may withdraw or remove content. A withdrawal may apply to an item made available before formal publication, for example, where a serious error or ethical problem is identified before the version of record is finalised. Removal of a published article is exceptional and reserved for cases where RAP is legally obliged to act, or where leaving the content available would cause serious harm, for example, a clear legal infringement, a court order, or content whose availability could present a genuine hazard. Where an article is removed, RAP retains its metadata and publishes a citable notice explaining, so far as it is permitted to, that the content has been removed and why, so that the record remains transparent.

Updates and versioning

The version of record is definitive. RAP does not issue minor “versions” of an article in place of corrections: any change of substance is handled as a correction or retraction, so that it is transparent and citable. If RAP introduces any ongoing or “living” article format in future, that status will be stated explicitly on the article and reflected in its Crossmark record.

Digital preservation

RAP is committed to the long-term preservation of the scholarly record. The version of record for every article is deposited with recognised digital preservation archives (CLOCKSS) so that published content remains permanently accessible and recoverable by the scholarly community, including in the event that RAP should cease to operate.

Peer review

Every research article published by RAP undergoes independent, double-blind peer review prior to acceptance, assessed against three criteria: rigour, originality, and clarity. Full details of the peer-review process are set out in RAP’s peer-review policy.

Use of artificial intelligence

RAP encourages the responsible use of AI tools in scholarship. Its full approach, covering use by authors, reviewers, and editors, is set out in RAP’s Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence.

Post-publication discussion

RAP supports legitimate post-publication scholarly discussion. Readers and authors may submit correspondence or responses to published articles in line with the journal’s correspondence policy, and RAP will not obstruct or suppress legitimate scholarly commentary.

Publication ethics

RAP is committed to the principles of publication ethics set out by COPE, and applies them consistently across corrections, retractions, expressions of concern, authorship disputes, and allegations of misconduct. RAP’s full publication-ethics policy is available on its website.

Contact

Questions about the status of a published article, or requests for a correction or retraction, should be sent to editor@runnymedeacademicpress.com.

Runnymede Academic Press is the trading name of Futures House Limited, registered in England and Wales (company number 15842304). Registered office: Ground floor, Centenary House, Peninsula Park, Rydon Lane, Exeter, EX2 7XE.