Appeals

Authors who believe a rejection resulted from a factual error, a misunderstanding of the manuscript, or bias submit an appeal within 30 days of the decision. The appeal goes by email to the Editor-in-Chief and includes a point-by-point explanation with supporting evidence. Disagreement with a reviewer's opinion alone is not grounds for appeal. Each manuscript receives one appeal.

Appeal review

An editor or editorial board member not involved in the original decision reviews the appeal. The outcome is one of three: the rejection stands, the manuscript goes to a new reviewer, or the authors receive an invitation to revise. The journal communicates the outcome within 30 days. The appeal decision is final.

Complaints

Authors, reviewers, readers, and other parties file complaints about the editorial process, delays, the conduct of editors or reviewers, ethical concerns, or fees through the journal email address listed on the Contact page. The journal acknowledges each complaint within five working days and gives a full response within 30 days.

Complaints about the Editor-in-Chief

Complaints about the Editor-in-Chief go to the publisher, Nexora Interdisciplinary Research and Development, which assigns an independent reviewer.

Process

The journal handles complaints following the COPE flowcharts, keeps complaint records confidential, and uses the outcomes to improve its procedures. Complainants who remain unsatisfied refer the matter to the publisher for a final review.