GetFTR Plans for Retraction & Errata

At the end of 2023, we launched a survey to get your feedback on a new concept for GetFTR; signaling of retractions and errata. We asked you if it’s important to inform researchers of retractions and updates at the point of discovery (think discovery tools, reference managers, repositories, article references), whether they’re informed today, and if GetFTR could play a role.

We’re pleased to share the results of that survey, and our plans for 2024.

We had a mix of librarians, researchers, contacts at publishers, platform providers, and discovery tool responding – a lucky librarian won a £50 Amazon voucher

Headlines from the survey:

• 100% think that the signaling of retractions and errata at the point of discovery is important
• 18% say they’re always informed today
• 96% think GetFTR should play a role

GetFTR plans to use its existing infrastructure to share retraction and errata data provided by Crossref and Retraction Watch.

It is important that Publishers keep this data up-to-date at Crossref, so that researchers have the latest information at their fingertips.

Initially, the service will be provided via the GetFTR Browser Extension. When an article has been retracted or updated, a button will be displayed, which when clicked will provide the user with further details. We will refine the UX based on user feedback, and monitor the impact on full-text usage. 

Following this, we will update the GetFTR Usability Guidelines and offer the service more widely so that all tools and platforms that integrate with GetFTR can benefit from both the signaling of entitlements and the signaling of retractions and errata.

New buttons signal Retractions and Updates:

Click on Retraction or Update button to view Document Status:

If you would like to hear more, please contact dianne@getfulltextresearch.com