Build a versioned evidence table by giving each row a version identifier and recording the source DOI, access date, and correction or retraction status at the time of entry, then linking every later update to its trigger in a change log.
Set up the row structure
Each row should carry a version identifier (for example, E-014-v2), the source DOI, the date you accessed the source, and the correction or retraction status you observed on that date. Crossref's Crossmark service gives readers a publisher-maintained record for checking updates such as corrections and retractions to a scholarly work, so it is a useful place to confirm status. COPE's retraction guidelines describe the purposes, grounds, notices, and responsibilities involved in correcting the research literature through retraction and related actions, which helps you classify what you find.
Run the update cycle
- Assign the row its version identifier and enter the DOI, access date, and current correction or retraction status. Expected result: a dated snapshot you can compare against later.
- Re-check the source before each review round using the DOI lookup, which returns the metadata deposited for that DOI through the Crossref REST API, and confirm status through Crossmark. Expected result: a confirmed current status or a flagged change.
- Record any change as a new version with a change-log entry that names the trigger (a correction notice, a retraction, or a metadata update) and the date. Expected result: each update traces back to a specific event.
Keep the log auditable
A change log that links each update to its trigger lets a co-author or reviewer follow the table's evolution across review rounds. When a status check is inconclusive, mark the row as unresolved and note the next verification step, such as checking the publisher's record directly.