Complaints and Appeals Procedure Policy

Complaints and Appeals Procedure Policy

1. Purpose

The International Journal of Interdisciplinary Knowledge (IJIK) is committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, accountable, and ethical scholarly publishing process. The journal recognizes the right of authors, reviewers, readers, editors, and other stakeholders to raise legitimate concerns or appeal editorial decisions.

This procedure establishes a clear process for receiving, reviewing, and resolving complaints and appeals related to the journal's editorial and publication activities.

2. Scope

This procedure applies to complaints and appeals concerning:

·  Manuscript submission and peer review;

·  Editorial decisions;

·  Publication processes;

·  Authorship;

·  Research misconduct;

·  Plagiarism;

·  Conflicts of interest;

·  Peer-review conduct;

·  Editorial conduct;

·  Publication delays;

·  Errors in published articles;

·  Copyright and licensing matters;

·  Ethical concerns;

·  Retractions and corrections;

·  Other matters related to IJIK's publication activities.

3. Principles

IJIK handles complaints and appeals according to the following principles:

·  Fairness: Complaints are considered objectively and without discrimination.

·  Transparency: The journal provides an appropriate explanation of decisions where possible.

·  Confidentiality: Information relating to complaints is handled confidentially.

·  Independence: Where necessary, complaints are reviewed by someone who was not directly involved in the original decision.

·  Timeliness: The journal aims to address complaints within a reasonable period.

·  Evidence-based assessment: Decisions are based on available evidence and relevant journal policies.

·  Respect: All parties are expected to communicate professionally.

4. Who May Submit a Complaint?

A complaint may be submitted by:

·  Authors;

·  Co-authors;

·  Reviewers;

·  Readers;

·  Editors;

·  Editorial board members;

·  Research institutions;

·  Other individuals or organizations with a legitimate concern regarding an IJIK publication.

5. Grounds for Complaints

Complaints may concern, but are not limited to:

5.1 Editorial Decisions

Authors may raise concerns if they believe an editorial decision was made contrary to the journal's stated procedures or based on an inappropriate consideration.

A disagreement with the academic judgment of an editor or reviewer alone does not necessarily constitute grounds for overturning a decision.

5.2 Peer Review

Complaints may concern:

·  Unprofessional reviewer behavior;

·  Breach of confidentiality;

·  Undisclosed conflicts of interest;

·  Suspected bias;

·  Inappropriate comments;

·  Possible manipulation of the peer-review process.

5.3 Publication Ethics

Complaints may involve:

·  Plagiarism;

·  Fabrication or falsification;

·  Duplicate publication;

·  Authorship disputes;

·  Undisclosed conflicts of interest;

·  Manipulation of citations;

·  Ethical approval concerns;

·  Misuse of research data;

·  Other forms of research or publication misconduct.

5.4 Editorial Conduct

Concerns regarding the conduct of editors or editorial board members may be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief or another appropriate editorial authority.

Where a complaint concerns the Editor-in-Chief, the matter should be referred to an independent senior editorial authority or publisher representative where available.

6. How to Submit a Complaint

Complaints should normally be submitted in writing through the journal's official communication channel.

A complaint should include:

·  Complainant's name and contact information;

·  Article title or manuscript title;

·  DOI or manuscript ID, if available;

·  Description of the complaint;

·  Relevant dates;

·  Supporting evidence or documents;

·  Explanation of the resolution being requested, where appropriate.

Anonymous complaints may be considered where sufficient evidence is provided, particularly when the matter concerns serious research or publication ethics issues.

7. Initial Acknowledgement

IJIK will acknowledge receipt of a complaint where contact information is available.

The editorial office will determine whether the matter falls within the journal's responsibility and whether sufficient information is available for assessment.

Where additional information is required, the complainant may be contacted for clarification.

8. Initial Assessment

The Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately designated editor will conduct an initial assessment.

The assessment may include:

·  Reviewing the complaint;

·  Examining the relevant manuscript or published article;

·  Reviewing correspondence and editorial records;

·  Consulting relevant journal policies;

·  Requesting information from the parties involved.

The journal will not automatically accept an allegation as established simply because a complaint has been submitted.

9. Investigation

Where a complaint raises a serious or credible concern, IJIK may conduct a more detailed investigation.

The journal may:

·  Contact the author or authors;

·  Contact reviewers or editors;

·  Request supporting documentation;

·  Seek expert advice;

·  Consult the editorial board;

·  Contact a relevant institution or research organization where appropriate;

·  Consult recognized publication-ethics guidance.

The extent of the investigation will depend on the nature and seriousness of the complaint.

10. Complaints Concerning Research Misconduct

Complaints involving possible fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, duplicate publication, unethical research, or other serious misconduct will be handled under the journal's Research Misconduct Policy.

Where institutional investigation is more appropriate, IJIK may refer the matter to the relevant research institution or authority.

11. Complaints Concerning Published Articles

If a complaint concerns an article that has already been published, IJIK may assess whether the scholarly record requires:

·  No action;

·  A correction;

·  A clarification;

·  An Expression of Concern;

·  Retraction;

·  Another appropriate editorial action.

Any action will be based on the available evidence and the relevant IJIK policies.

12. Appeals Against Editorial Decisions

Authors may appeal an editorial decision when they believe there is a substantive reason for reconsideration.

An appeal should normally be based on:

·  A significant factual error in the editorial assessment;

·  Evidence that relevant information was overlooked;

·  A demonstrable procedural problem;

·  A serious misunderstanding of the manuscript;

·  New information that could materially affect the decision.

An appeal should not simply repeat the original submission or express disagreement without providing substantive grounds.

13. Appeal Submission

An appeal should include:

·  Manuscript title;

·  Manuscript ID or DOI;

·  Date of the decision;

·  Decision being appealed;

·  Specific reasons for the appeal;

·  Evidence supporting the appeal;

·  Any new information relevant to the decision.

The appeal should be submitted through the journal's official editorial communication channel.

14. Appeal Review

Appeals will normally be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or another qualified editor who was not directly responsible for the original decision, where reasonably possible.

Where appropriate, the journal may seek an independent assessment from a qualified subject expert.

The appeal reviewer will consider whether:

·  The original decision followed the journal's procedures;

·  Relevant information was overlooked;

·  There was a significant factual or procedural error;

·  New evidence warrants reconsideration.

15. Finality of Appeals

After appropriate reconsideration, the journal may:

·  Confirm the original decision;

·  Request further peer review;

·  Request additional information;

·  Modify the editorial decision where justified;

·  Take another appropriate editorial action.

The journal's appeal decision will normally be considered final unless significant new evidence becomes available.

16. Complaints About Editors or Editorial Board Members

If a complaint concerns an editor or editorial board member, that person should not normally be responsible for resolving the complaint.

The matter may be referred to:

·  The Editor-in-Chief;

·  A designated senior editor;

·  The publisher or journal management;

·  An independent person appointed to review the matter.

The person who is the subject of the complaint will be given an appropriate opportunity to respond.

17. Complaints About the Editor-in-Chief

Where the complaint concerns the Editor-in-Chief, the complaint should be directed to the publisher or another independent senior authority responsible for journal governance, where such an authority exists.

The Editor-in-Chief should not independently determine the outcome of a complaint made directly against them.

18. Confidentiality

IJIK will handle complaints and appeals confidentially to the extent reasonably possible.

Information will be shared only with individuals who need it for the purpose of assessing or resolving the matter.

Confidentiality does not prevent the journal from contacting institutions, experts, or other parties where this is necessary to investigate a serious ethical concern.

19. Protection Against Retaliation

Individuals who raise legitimate concerns or submit good-faith complaints should not be subject to retaliation by the journal.

However, deliberately false, fabricated, or malicious allegations may be addressed appropriately.

20. Timeframe

IJIK aims to acknowledge complaints promptly and assess them within a reasonable period.

The time required to resolve a matter may vary depending on:

·  The complexity of the complaint;

·  The number of parties involved;

·  The need for external expert advice;

·  The availability of relevant evidence;

·  The need to contact an institution or research organization.

The journal will provide updates where a matter requires substantial additional time.

21. Record Keeping

IJIK will maintain appropriate records of significant complaints and appeals, including:

·  The complaint or appeal;

·  Relevant correspondence;

·  Evidence considered;

·  Investigation steps;

·  Final decision;

·  Any corrective action taken.

Records will be handled confidentially and retained in accordance with the journal's administrative and publication practices.

22. Independence and Editorial Integrity

Complaints and appeals will not be used to influence legitimate editorial judgment.

The journal will seek to ensure that editorial decisions are based on scholarly quality, research integrity, relevance, ethical standards, and the journal's published policies.

23. Relationship with Publication Ethics Standards

IJIK may consult recognized publication-ethics guidance, including relevant Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) principles, when dealing with complex complaints, appeals, or publication-ethics concerns.

24. Contact

Complaints and appeals should be submitted through the official IJIK editorial communication channel:

International Journal of Interdisciplinary Knowledge (IJIK)
Website: https://www.ijikjournal.com

For manuscript-specific matters, authors should include their manuscript ID or DOI in all correspondence.

25. Commitment to Fairness

IJIK is committed to addressing legitimate complaints and appeals fairly, transparently, and responsibly. The objective of this procedure is to protect authors' rights, maintain confidence in the peer-review process, and preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.