Allow preprints to be withdrawn or removed

NateWr commented 3 years ago

Describe the problem you would like to solve A preprint may need to be withdrawn, removed or unpublished. Although similar to retracted publications, preprints are withdrawn for a wider variety of reasons, and may need to be fully removed or unpublished if they contain harmful information or are the result of an unintentional posting.

Describe the solution you'd like This paper, which @alexxxmendonca brought to my attention, puts forward clear recommendations for withdrawn and removed preprints (see "Defining preprint withdrawal & removal"). In particular, it provides a table with examples of how existing preprint servers are handling this.

OPS should support these two actions and should aim to follow the conventions of existing preprint servers. I recommend reading the guidance in full, but here is a short summary:

Withdrawal is similar to retractions. A new version is created. The preprint (all versions) is marked "withdrawn" and the new version's abstract is changed to a description of the withdrawal. The original post remains as an old version, so the withdrawn content is still available to the public record.
Removal is a rare event when a preprint contains harmful information, such as disclosing personal information or containing research without ethical approval. The item is marked "removed" and all existing versions are modified so that the abstract is changed to a description of the removal. Existing galley files are replaced with files that describe the removal.

In both cases, distribution services (like Crossref) should receive updated metadata.

Who is asking for this feature? Preprint server administrators

Additional information This is split off from a discussion about withdrawing submissions before publication in OJS/OMP. See https://github.com/pkp/pkp-lib/issues/1813.

ajnyga commented 3 years ago

@alexxxmendonca can you comment here if the issue Nate created covers your use cases?

alexxxmendonca commented 3 years ago

@ajnyga yes, this is perfect.

alexxxmendonca commented 3 years ago

I would also add that "Distribution services (like Crossref) should receive updated information" in the event of a Removal as well.

NateWr commented 3 years ago

Thanks @alexxxmendonca. I've updated the original description to make that clear.

willinsky commented 3 years ago

To jump right in were I'm most comfortable around words and buttons, I'd propose the following two buttons in the Publication tab for OJS.OMP and for OPS.

Status: Published [Minor Revisions] [New Version]

I also find "This version has been published and can not be edited." in far too an alarming shade of red, as if to bar the way to disaster. It is a little confusing, as this version can be edited, using "Minor Revisions." What we appear to need is only a slight reminder without much color to the effect that "The metadata and published version can revised by clicking Minor Revisions."

Again, I know it is inconvenient, but I still want to put in a plug for OPS being differentiated along the following lines, if only by this key distinction

Status: Posted [Minor Revisions] [New Version]

asmecher commented 3 years ago

@willinsky, the design work around "minor revisions" vs. unpublish / modify / republish (also leading to the big red version banner) was captured on https://github.com/pkp/pkp-lib/issues/2072 -- I'd suggest reviewing that first, and proposing changes related to it in another issue that links back to both your comment above and that original design work.

willinsky commented 3 years ago

Alec, I did my best in reviewing #2072, as suggested, and couldn’t see a way to make the suggestions there, so entered changes here on this point of renaming buttons on Publication page "minor revisions" and "new version."

Also, I'm convinced that Nate has it right in #1813 with placing Withdrawal and Retraction under discrete "More" button, given the extreme rarity of these two (which I have exploded into two options in my suggestions.