Complaints Process
The editorial office of the journal is responsible for managing complaints of author misconduct related to published articles or manuscripts under peer-review. The procedure for handling such complaints will be conducted with sensitivity, tact, and confidentiality, as follows:
1. The editorial office receives a complaint alleging research misconduct in an article submitted to or published in the journal. The complainant must provide specific details and evidence of the misconduct, such as highlighting plagiarized paragraphs and referencing the original and suspected articles.
2. The editorial office will conduct an investigation, during which the editor and corresponding author(s) will be in contact. The corresponding author(s) will be requested to provide a detailed explanation and any available evidence.
3. If the author(s) accept the misconduct complaint, the editorial office will take appropriate actions, which may include:
- If the article has been published, an erratum or retraction may be necessary to remedy the situation. However, there may still be disagreement concerning the appropriate wording of the description.
- If the misconduct is reported during the review process, the review process may continue, with the author(s) making the relevant changes
4. If the author(s) fail to respond within the stipulated time or provide an unsatisfactory explanation, the article may be permanently retracted or rejected.
5. Before making a decision, the editorial office may seek confirmation from experts at the relevant institution or other authorities as required.
6. The complainant will be informed of the outcome once the issue is resolved. The complaint case will then be considered concluded.
