- If we identify an error in a published paper from the lab, all authors should convene promptly to discuss what if any conclusions are affected by the error. Most journals have a mechanism for either publishing a correction to the article when the primary conclusions of the paper are not substantially affected, or retracting the article if they are. All authors should agree on whether a correction or retraction is warranted, and promptly notify the journal of their recommendation and the nature of the error. If applicable, a notification and corrected version of the article should also be submitted to the preprint server (e.g. bioRxiv), and internal copies of the paper should be corrected and versioned accordingly.