Editorial Appeals
Policy
Authors who think that a decision to reject their manuscript was wrong may appeal. The journal follows the COPE guidance on appeals. An appeal is not another round of review, and it is not a way of getting a decision overturned because the authors disagree.
Grounds for an appeal
- A serious error of fact or of process by the editor or a reviewer.
- A reviewer who showed bias or a competing interest.
- Important points of the manuscript that were misunderstood or not considered.
How to appeal
- The corresponding author writes to the editorial office through the Contact page with the subject line “Appeal – [manuscript ID]”.
- The letter explains the grounds and answers the points of the decision with evidence. New data or a new version of the manuscript is not considered as part of an appeal.
- The decision letter and the reviews should be attached.
How it is assessed
- The Editor-in-Chief, or an editor who was not involved in the original decision, assesses the appeal.
- The editor may ask for another opinion or for an additional reviewer.
- The decision on the appeal is final. The editors tell the authors the result and the reasons.
Other complaints
Complaints about the conduct of the journal or its staff are handled separately. See Publication Ethics.
