Post-Publication Discussion
Journal Software, Hardware and Information Technology (SHIFT) welcomes constructive scholarly discussion of its published articles. Post-publication discussion helps to verify, clarify, and build on published research and to maintain the accuracy of the scholarly record.
How to submit a comment
Readers who wish to comment on, question, or raise concerns about a published article may contact the editorial office at [email protected]. The message should:
- identify the article by its title and DOI;
- state the specific point being discussed (for example, the methods, data, results, or interpretation); and
- be scholarly, respectful, and supported by evidence or references.
Comments that are personal, offensive, or unrelated to the content of the article are not considered.
Handling of comments
- The editors assess whether the comment is relevant and substantive.
- Substantive comments are forwarded to the corresponding author, who is invited to respond.
- The editors evaluate the comment and the authors’ response, and inform the person who raised the comment of the outcome.
- If the discussion shows that the article contains an error or raises concerns about its reliability, the case is handled according to our Retraction and Correction policy, which may lead to a correction, an Expression of Concern, or a retraction. Allegations of misconduct are handled according to our Research Misconduct policy.
Concerns about SHIFT articles raised on external platforms and brought to the attention of the editors are handled through the same procedure.
Authors’ responsibility
Authors are expected to respond promptly and constructively to questions about their published work and, where relevant, to provide clarification or access to the underlying data.
