Shadow Education in Spain (2005–2026): A Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) on Meritocracy and the Reproduction of Inequality (RETRACTED)

Abstract

Retraction Note to: methaodos.social science journal (2026) 14(2), m261402a03
https://doi.org/10.17502/mrcs.v14i2.969

The editorial team of methaodos.revista de ciencias sociales announces the retraction of the article entitled “Shadow Education in Spain (2005-2026): A Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) on Meritocracy and the Reproduction of Inequality”, authored by Jesús Gutiérrez Villalta.

Following publication, the author informed the journal of previously undisclosed circumstances affecting the traceability and verifiability of the methodological procedures described in the article. In his communication, he acknowledged having made extensive use of the artificial intelligence tool Claude (Anthropic), without disclosing its use in the published article, for literature searching and organisation, the structuring of the review process, literature synthesis, and the preparation of various sections of the manuscript. He also stated that he could not guarantee the reproducibility of certain figures reported for the record identification and selection stages.

In response to this information, the editorial team undertook a targeted examination of the published material to establish the extent of the reported methodological deficiencies and their potential implications for the reliability of the study. This examination identified limitations in the traceability of the published information, including the identification of only 18 of the 23 documents reported in Table 2, whose accompanying note explicitly acknowledges the omission of five works, and the inability to verify the thematic totals presented in Section 4.1 on the basis of the information provided in the article.

To clarify these matters and verify the methodological basis of the findings, the journal formally requested that the author provide the original review protocol, records of the literature searches and study selection process, the complete list of the 23 documents and the corresponding data extraction and classification records, together with the materials supporting the second independent assessment and the calculation of Cohen’s kappa coefficient (0.82). The author was also asked to identify the figures whose traceability he could not guarantee and to specify the extent of Claude’s involvement in the methodological process. Furthermore, the request expressly required the author to identify any documentation he no longer retained.

In response, the author expressly acknowledged that he was unable to provide the original records necessary to substantiate adequately the methodological procedure described in the article and formally confirmed his request for withdrawal.

Consequently, in the absence of sufficient assurance regarding the methodological reliability of the study, the journal has decided to retract the article. This decision has been made by the journal following an editorial assessment, independently of the author's request for withdrawal, in accordance with its commitment to the integrity, transparency and reliability of the scholarly record.