Complaints and Appeals Policy

Complaints and Appeals Policy

The Journal of Sustainable Research in Applied Sciences is committed to upholding the highest ethical standards throughout all stages of academic publishing. The journal provides a transparent and fair mechanism for handling complaints and appeals from authors, reviewers, or readers. This policy aims to enhance transparency and ensure fairness for all parties and aligns with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines. All stakeholders are encouraged to engage in constructive dialogue and mutual respect.

1. Scope of Acceptable Complaints:
Any concerned party (author, reviewer, or reader) may submit a complaint in the following cases:

  • Unreasonable delays in the review or publication process.

  • Perceived bias or unfair treatment by an editorial board member or reviewer.

  • Unprofessional behavior or breaches of publication ethics.

  • Undisclosed conflicts of interest.

  • Objection to a decision to reject or retract a manuscript.

  • Concerns regarding published content (scientific errors, misleading information, or violations).

2. Complaint Submission Procedure:
Complaints should be submitted via the journal’s official email: jsras@rcc.edu.ly
Please include the following information:

  1. Full name and contact information.

  2. Relationship to the journal (author, reviewer, reader, etc.).

  3. Clear and detailed description of the complaint or appeal.

  4. Supporting evidence or documents (if available).

  5. Approximate date of the incident.

3. Complaint Handling Process:

  1. Acknowledgment of Receipt: A formal receipt notice will be sent within 5 working days.

  2. Preliminary Review: The Editor-in-Chief will conduct an initial review to assess the seriousness of the complaint.

  3. Objective Evaluation: If necessary, the complaint will be referred to an independent subcommittee for further review.

  4. Final Response: A final response will be sent within 30 days from receipt, including the evaluation results and any actions taken.

  5. Confidentiality: The journal ensures the confidentiality of all parties involved unless disclosure is required for investigation purposes.

4. Appeals Against Editorial Decisions:
Authors may appeal editorial decisions (e.g., rejection) by submitting a justified letter explaining the reasons for the appeal. The case will be reconsidered by an independent editorial panel. However, the journal does not guarantee acceptance after the appeal.

5. Repeated or Frivolous Complaints:
The journal reserves the right not to respond to repeated, non-credible, or abusive complaints.