Appeals and complaints

Journal Complaints and Appeals Process

Appeals to editorial decisions, complaints about the failure of processes such as long delays in handling papers, and complaints about publication ethics can be applied. Comprehensive and well-evidenced appeals to editorial decisions are welcome and will be handled by the journal's editor(s) in the first instance, who will assess the appeal's validity. If valid, the journal's editorial board and/or external peer reviewers will review the appeal. A new editorial decision will be made based on the results of this review.

Utjagr will carefully consider complaints, appeals, and allegations in line with guidance from the Committee On Publication Ethics (COPE). This applies both pre-and post-publication.

When a complaint is made to a journal, it must be passed to the journal's editor(s), who must then address the issue following COPE guidelines. Where necessary, allegations will be referred to the appropriate institution for further investigation. Pending the outcome of an investigation, the published record will be updated accordingly, with a post-publication notice in the form of either a correction or a retraction. This notice will be linked to the original article. A permanent digital object identifier (DOI) and universal resource locator (URL) link between the notice and the full article enhances transparency and the integrity of the publication record; only in rare cases, where it is in the public interest, will an article be removed.

How to submit a complaint or raise an issue of potential misconduct to a journal, or appeal an editorial decision

Contact the journal's editor(s) with an explanation of your complaint or appeal. In case you have a complaint regarding the editors of a journal, you may, alternatively, address your complaint directly to the publisher by writing to the editorial office through the following email: utjagr@utq.edu.iq