Methodology
Publisher identity, user preference, and formal article events are different evidence layers.
Notandia deliberately separates three questions: who published the work, how the user wants that publisher displayed, and whether a formal post-publication event affects the work. Combining those questions into one score would hide important distinctions.
Publisher profiles
A publisher profile is a validated set of identity evidence and display preferences. Built-in profiles currently include MDPI and Frontiers. Both are enabled and highlighted by default in a fresh installation, but either can be disabled or assigned context-only, badge, highlight, dim, or hide behavior independently.
Custom profiles may contain a bounded publisher name, canonical domains, DOI prefixes, a color, an action, and a confidence policy. They cannot contain JavaScript, executable selectors, remote code, or arbitrary page logic.
Publisher matching
Confirmed matching prioritizes canonical publisher domains and DOI prefixes. The mature MDPI detector remains as an additional compatibility evidence source on pages that expose only indirect identifiers or legacy layouts. Multiple matching profiles are retained; the most restrictive selected visual action determines page presentation, while all profile labels remain visible.
A publisher-profile match is a user-selected context rule. It is not an objective reliability score and does not claim that every article from a matched publisher is unreliable.
Formal work-level events
Normalized categories include retraction, expression of concern, correction, reinstatement, withdrawal or removal, and duplicate-publication findings. The event timeline is preserved. A reinstatement changes the current state without deleting the earlier retraction.
Notandia first checks the work’s direct Crossref record. When no update is present there, it may use Crossref’s reverse updates:<doi> relationship to find a separately registered notice that points to the original work. Relationship direction is validated before a status is assigned.
Integrated presentation
The interface may show publisher-profile chips and formal integrity chips on the same article or reference, but the meanings remain independent. For example, an MDPI or Frontiers match does not imply a retraction, and a retracted work may come from any publisher.
Coverage
The interface distinguishes checked, unresolved, failed, and deferred identifiers. “No known signal” means only that the checked sources returned no matching record. It does not prove that a work or publisher is reliable.
Evidence sources
| Source | Intended use | Constraint |
|---|---|---|
| Page domains and DOI prefixes | Publisher identity evidence | Identity is not a quality verdict |
| Legacy MDPI detector | Additional compatibility evidence for indirect or difficult layouts | Its old fixed styling is replaced by the selected profile action |
| NCBI ID Converter | Resolve DOI, PMID, and PMCID identifiers when direct evidence is unavailable | Network-assisted and independently disableable |
| Crossref and Retraction Watch data | Publisher-deposited and curated work-level update relationships | Relationship direction, duplicates, chronology, and coverage must be reconciled |
Corrections and reports
Reports distinguish missed or incorrect publisher identity, confidence errors, missing or incorrect formal events, layout problems, and publisher-profile suggestions. The report opens as an editable public GitHub draft; nothing is submitted automatically.
Independence
Notandia is independently developed and open source. It is not affiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by MDPI AG, Frontiers Media SA, Crossref, Retraction Watch, NCBI, any browser vendor, or any publisher or data provider.