Effective Date: July 2026
IIS Journal is committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, and impartial editorial process. Authors, reviewers, readers, and other stakeholders may raise concerns regarding editorial decisions, publication ethics, peer review, or journal operations through the procedures described in this policy.
All appeals and complaints are handled objectively, confidentially, and without retaliation.
1. Purpose
This policy provides a structured process for:
- appealing editorial decisions;
- reporting concerns regarding peer review;
- raising publication ethics issues;
- reporting research misconduct;
- submitting complaints regarding journal operations;
- requesting reconsideration where appropriate.
The purpose of this process is to ensure fairness while preserving editorial independence.
2. Editorial Appeals
Authors may request reconsideration of an editorial decision where they believe that:
- a significant procedural error occurred;
- relevant evidence was overlooked;
- reviewer comments were based on factual misunderstandings;
- the editorial decision did not follow the journal’s published policies.
An appeal should explain the specific grounds for reconsideration and include any supporting information.
Disagreement with reviewer opinions alone is not normally sufficient grounds for an appeal.
3. Editorial Decisions
Editorial decisions are based on:
- scholarly merit;
- originality;
- methodological quality;
- relevance to the journal’s scope;
- reviewer feedback;
- editorial judgment;
- compliance with publication ethics.
The Editor-in-Chief retains final responsibility for editorial decisions.
4. Complaints
Complaints may relate to:
- editorial conduct;
- peer review procedures;
- publication ethics;
- conflicts of interest;
- delays in editorial processing;
- communication with the Editorial Office;
- website or submission system issues.
Complaints should be submitted as soon as reasonably possible after the issue is identified.
5. Publication Ethics Concerns
Concerns regarding plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabricated data, authorship disputes, image manipulation, or other forms of research misconduct will be investigated in accordance with the journal’s Publication Ethics Policy and, where appropriate, the Retraction Policy.
Such matters are handled separately from editorial appeals.
6. Reviewer Concerns
Reviewers may raise concerns regarding:
- conflicts of interest;
- inappropriate reviewer requests;
- confidentiality;
- ethical issues within submitted manuscripts;
- difficulties encountered during the review process.
Reviewer identities remain confidential unless disclosure is required by law or journal policy.
7. Investigation Process
Upon receiving an appeal or complaint, the Editorial Office will:
- acknowledge receipt where appropriate;
- conduct an initial assessment;
- gather relevant information;
- seek clarification from affected parties where necessary;
- consult editors or subject experts when appropriate;
- reach a decision based on the available evidence.
The journal aims to handle matters promptly while ensuring a fair and impartial review.
8. Outcomes
Following review, the journal may:
- uphold the original decision;
- modify an editorial decision;
- request additional review;
- issue a correction;
- publish an expression of concern;
- retract an article where appropriate;
- take other editorial or administrative action consistent with journal policies.
The chosen outcome will depend on the circumstances of each case.
9. Confidentiality
Appeals and complaints are handled confidentially.
Information is shared only with individuals directly involved in reviewing or resolving the matter.
The journal seeks to protect the privacy of all parties while ensuring a fair process.
10. Misuse of the Appeals Process
The appeals process must not be used to:
- harass editors or reviewers;
- repeatedly challenge decisions without new evidence;
- make knowingly false allegations;
- disrupt journal operations.
The journal reserves the right to decline repetitive or abusive submissions.
11. Final Decision
Following completion of the review process, the Editorial Office will communicate its decision to the individual who submitted the appeal or complaint.
The decision reached after completion of the journal’s internal review process shall normally be considered final.
12. Policy Updates
This Appeals and Complaints Policy may be updated periodically to reflect developments in editorial practice, publication ethics, legal requirements, and journal operations.
The most recent version published on the IIS Journal website shall be considered the authoritative version.