Complaints and Appeals Policy

 

Complaints and Appeals Policy

  1. Purpose

The journal is committed to maintaining the highest standards of editorial integrity, transparency, and ethical publishing. This policy outlines the procedure for handling complaints and appeals related to editorial decisions, peer review, publication ethics, and journal management.

  1. Scope of Complaints

Complaints may relate to:

  • Editorial decisions (acceptance, rejection, revision requests)
  • Peer review process concerns
  • Allegations of publication misconduct
  • Ethical issues (plagiarism, authorship disputes, conflicts of interest)
  • Delays in review or publication
  • Journal management or communication concerns
  1. Submission of Complaints

Complaints must be submitted in writing via email to:

[email protected]

The complaint should include:

  • Manuscript ID (if applicable)
  • Title of the manuscript
  • Clear description of the concern
  • Supporting documentation (if available)
  1. Handling Procedure
  • The Editor-in-Chief will acknowledge receipt within 7 working days.
  • A formal review will be conducted in accordance with the journal’s ethical standards and COPE guidelines.
  • A decision or response will normally be provided within 14–30 working days, depending on the complexity of the case.
  • If necessary, the matter may be referred to the journal’s Editorial Board or the affiliated university authority for independent review.
  1. Appeals

Authors may appeal editorial decisions if they believe:

  • A significant factual error occurred
  • A conflict of interest affected the decision
  • The review process did not follow journal procedures

Appeals must provide detailed justification and supporting evidence.

The appeal will be reviewed by:

  • A different Editorial Board member, or
  • An independent reviewer (if necessary)

The decision after appeal is considered final.

  1. Ethical Standards

The journal follows internationally recognized publishing ethics standards and adheres to COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) principles in handling complaints and disputes.

  1. Confidentiality

All complaints and appeals are handled confidentially and professionally. The journal ensures impartial evaluation and protection of all parties involved.