Complaints and Appeals Policy

Complaints and Appeals Policy

The International Journal of Information System and Innovative Technology (IJISIT) is committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, and accountable editorial process. Authors, reviewers, readers, and other parties may submit complaints or appeals concerning editorial decisions, publication processes, ethical matters, or published content.

All complaints and appeals will be handled objectively, confidentially, and without discrimination. Where appropriate, IJISIT will refer to relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. Editorial Appeals

Authors may appeal an editorial decision when they believe that a significant error, misunderstanding, or procedural problem affected the evaluation of their manuscript.

An appeal should:

  • clearly identify the manuscript;
  • explain the specific reason for the appeal;
  • address the relevant editorial or reviewer comments; and
  • provide supporting information where appropriate.

An appeal should be based on substantive academic or procedural grounds rather than disagreement with the editorial decision alone.

2. Submission of an Appeal

Appeals should be submitted to the IJISIT Editorial Office through the journal's official contact channel.

The appeal should include:

  • manuscript title;
  • manuscript identification number, where applicable;
  • corresponding author's name and contact information;
  • original editorial decision;
  • detailed reasons for the appeal; and
  • relevant supporting evidence.

The submission of an appeal does not guarantee that the original editorial decision will be changed.

3. Handling of Appeals

The Editor will review the appeal and the relevant editorial history.

Where appropriate, the appeal may be evaluated by another editor or qualified individual who was not directly involved in the original decision.

Additional expert advice or peer review may be requested when necessary.

Following consideration of the appeal, the journal may:

  • uphold the original decision;
  • reconsider the manuscript;
  • request additional review; or
  • take another appropriate editorial action.

The outcome of the appeal will be communicated to the corresponding author.

4. Complaints

IJISIT accepts complaints concerning matters including, but not limited to:

  • editorial procedures;
  • unreasonable editorial delays;
  • peer-review conduct;
  • publication ethics;
  • conflicts of interest;
  • authorship disputes;
  • plagiarism or research misconduct;
  • corrections or retractions;
  • inappropriate editorial conduct; and
  • concerns regarding published articles.

Complaints should clearly describe the issue and provide relevant supporting information whenever possible.

5. Handling of Complaints

Complaints will be acknowledged and assessed by the Editorial Office.

The journal will seek to establish the relevant facts and, where appropriate, obtain responses from the individuals involved.

Complaints will be handled confidentially to the extent reasonably possible.

IJISIT will seek to resolve legitimate complaints fairly and will take appropriate corrective action when necessary.

6. Complaints Concerning an Editor

If a complaint concerns the conduct or decision of an editor directly involved in the matter, the complaint should, where reasonably possible, be considered by another editor or appropriate independent person who has no direct conflict of interest.

An editor who is the subject of a complaint should not independently determine the final outcome of that complaint.

7. Complaints Concerning the Editor-in-Chief

Where a complaint directly concerns the Editor-in-Chief, the matter should be referred to another appropriate member of the editorial structure or an independent qualified person who was not directly involved in the issue.

The Editor-in-Chief should not make the final decision regarding a complaint concerning their own conduct.

8. Publication Ethics Complaints

Complaints involving suspected plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, authorship manipulation, undisclosed conflicts of interest, duplicate publication, peer-review manipulation, or other potential publication misconduct will be considered under the journal's Publication Ethics & Plagiarism Policy.

Where appropriate, IJISIT may refer to relevant COPE guidance and flowcharts when investigating publication ethics concerns.

9. Complaints Concerning Published Articles

Concerns about the accuracy or integrity of a published article may be submitted to the Editorial Office.

Depending on the nature and outcome of the investigation, IJISIT may take appropriate action, including:

  • clarification;
  • correction;
  • expression of concern;
  • retraction; or
  • other appropriate measures.

Such actions will be handled in accordance with the journal's Corrections and Retractions Policy.

10. Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest

Information concerning complaints and appeals will be handled confidentially and shared only with individuals who need the information to evaluate or resolve the matter.

Anyone involved in handling a complaint or appeal should disclose relevant conflicts of interest and, where necessary, withdraw from the process.

11. No Retaliation

Submitting a legitimate complaint or appeal in good faith will not disadvantage an author, reviewer, or other party in their future interactions with IJISIT.

However, abusive, threatening, discriminatory, or deliberately misleading communications will not be tolerated.

12. Final Outcome

IJISIT will communicate the outcome of an appeal or complaint to the relevant party after appropriate consideration.

The journal is committed to resolving complaints and appeals fairly while protecting editorial independence and maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record.

Contact

Complaints and appeals should be submitted through the official contact information provided on the IJISIT Contact page.