What Is an Erratum?
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An erratum (plural errata) is a correction notice published by a journal to fix an error in a published article, such as a mistyped number, a missing author name or a mislabelled figure. It is linked to the original article.
Example
Invented for teaching: A table lists a hazard ratio as 0.86 when the analysis gave 0.68. The journal publishes an erratum stating the correct value and linking to the article.
Common misunderstanding
An erratum is not a retraction. It corrects a specific error and the article remains part of the literature, whereas a retraction withdraws the article because of serious problems. Terminology (erratum, corrigendum, correction) varies between journals.
Learn more
See What Happens After a Manuscript Is Accepted?
References and further reading
Related reading
This page is general educational information about research methods. It is not medical, legal or regulatory advice; follow your institution's ethics board and your target journal's instructions.