Complaints and Appeals Policy

Complaints and Appeals Policy

The journal is committed to providing a fair and transparent publishing environment for all stakeholders, including authors, reviewers, and readers. The journal places particular importance on handling complaints related to the publication process or the conduct of any party involved in the editorial workflow.

Types of Complaints

Complaints that may be submitted include, but are not limited to:

  • Unreasonable delays in the peer review or editorial decision-making process.

  • Unprofessional conduct by members of the editorial board or reviewers.

  • Clear bias or conflict of interest in the review process.

  • Issues related to academic integrity or plagiarism.

  • Technical failures affecting manuscript submission or review processes.

Complaint Submission Procedure

Complaints must be submitted either via the journal’s official email address or delivered in written form.

Each complaint must include the following information:

  • Name and contact details of the complainant.

  • Manuscript title or description of the issue.

  • A clear and detailed explanation of the complaint.

  • The outcome requested by the complainant (e.g., resolution, clarification, review, etc.).

Complaint Handling Procedure

  • An acknowledgment of receipt will be sent within one week.

  • The complaint will be forwarded to the relevant authority within the Editorial Board or to the Editor-in-Chief.

  • The complaint will be investigated with full confidentiality and impartiality.

  • A final response will be provided to the complainant within 30 days of receipt. However, investigations may take several additional weeks depending on the complexity of the issue and the availability of relevant information.

  • All complaints are handled under strict confidentiality.

Appeals Against Publication Decisions

The journal adheres to the highest standards of integrity and transparency throughout all stages of scholarly publishing, including acceptance and rejection decisions. To ensure fairness in manuscript evaluation, authors have the right to appeal a rejection decision if they believe it is unjustified.

Conditions for Appeal

Appeals must be based on objective grounds, such as:

  • A fundamental misunderstanding of the manuscript’s content.

  • Clear evidence of bias in reviewer evaluation.

  • Undisclosed conflict of interest.

  • Deviation from agreed peer review procedures.

Appeal Submission Procedure

  • Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Editorial Board via the official journal email or delivered in person within 15 days of the rejection decision.

  • The appeal must include:

    • Manuscript title.

    • A detailed justification for the appeal.

    • If applicable, a scientific response to reviewer comments.

The Editorial Board will review the appeal internally and may consult additional independent reviewers if necessary.

A response to the appeal will be provided within a maximum of 3 weeks from the date of receipt.

Final Decision

The decision of the Editorial Board following the appeal review is final and not subject to further appeal. All decisions are made in accordance with the journal’s commitment to academic integrity and scholarly standards.