The International Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies (IJPES) is committed to ensuring fairness, transparency, integrity, and accountability throughout its editorial and publication processes. The journal recognizes the right of authors, reviewers, readers, and other stakeholders to raise concerns about editorial decisions, journal procedures, ethical matters, or published content.
All complaints and appeals are considered seriously and are handled impartially, confidentially, and in accordance with recognized standards of scholarly publishing and publication ethics.
Authors may appeal an editorial decision when they believe that a significant procedural error, factual misunderstanding, or misinterpretation of the manuscript has materially affected the decision.
Appeals must be submitted by the corresponding author and should:
Identify the manuscript title and manuscript ID.
Clearly explain the grounds for the appeal.
Address the specific scientific, methodological, ethical, or editorial issues relevant to the decision.
Provide supporting evidence or documentation when appropriate.
An appeal should present substantive grounds for reconsideration. General disagreement with reviewer comments or dissatisfaction with an editorial decision, without specific evidence of an error or significant misunderstanding, will not normally constitute sufficient grounds for reconsideration.
Upon receipt, the appeal will be assessed to determine whether further review is warranted. When appropriate, the manuscript, reviewer reports, editorial correspondence, and other relevant records may be examined by an editor or Editorial Board member who was not directly involved in the original decision.
Following this assessment, the journal may uphold the original decision, reconsider the manuscript, seek an additional independent review, or take another action considered appropriate based on the circumstances of the case.
The submission of an appeal does not guarantee that the original editorial decision will be changed.
IJPES welcomes legitimate concerns regarding any aspect of its editorial and publishing activities. Complaints may concern journal policies, editorial procedures, peer review practices, ethical standards, editorial conduct, staff conduct, conflicts of interest, or published material.
A complaint should include sufficient information to allow the journal to understand and assess the matter. Where applicable, complainants should provide:
A clear description of the concern.
The manuscript ID, article title, or DOI related to the complaint.
Relevant dates and correspondence.
Supporting documents or evidence.
The outcome or action requested.
The journal will acknowledge the complaint and conduct an initial assessment. Where the matter requires further examination, an appropriate investigation will be initiated. The journal may request additional information from the complainant, authors, reviewers, editors, institutions, or other relevant parties.
Complaints involving the conduct, actions, or decisions of an editor will be handled independently of the editor concerned.
Such matters may be referred to another senior editor, an Editorial Board member who has no involvement in the case, or the Publisher. The individual who is the subject of the complaint will not have sole authority over the investigation or its outcome.
Independent advice may be obtained when necessary to ensure that the matter is reviewed fairly and without inappropriate influence.
Any complaint involving the Editor in Chief will be submitted directly to the Publisher for independent consideration.
The Editor in Chief will not participate in the assessment, investigation, or final determination of a complaint concerning their own conduct or decisions. The Publisher may consult members of the Editorial Board or independent experts when this is necessary to ensure an impartial and appropriately informed review.
Allegations involving plagiarism, redundant or duplicate publication, inappropriate authorship, data fabrication or falsification, undisclosed conflicts of interest, citation manipulation, peer review manipulation, ethical approval concerns, or other forms of research and publication misconduct will be investigated under the journal's Publication Ethics Policy.
Depending on the nature of the concern, IJPES may communicate with authors, reviewers, academic institutions, research integrity offices, funding organizations, other journals, or relevant authorities.
The journal recognizes the distinction between its responsibility to protect and correct the scholarly record and the responsibility of institutions to investigate allegations concerning the conduct of researchers.
Where appropriate, investigations and editorial actions will follow relevant guidance and flowcharts provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Concerns regarding an article published in IJPES may be submitted at any time. The journal will assess such concerns based on their nature, seriousness, supporting evidence, and potential effect on the reliability or integrity of the scholarly record.
Following appropriate assessment or investigation, the journal may:
Publish a correction or clarification.
Issue an editorial note.
Publish an expression of concern.
Retract the article.
Take no further action when the concern is not substantiated.
Any action affecting the published record will be carried out transparently and in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policies and applicable international standards.
IJPES handles complaints and appeals with appropriate confidentiality. Information concerning a case will be shared only with individuals or organizations whose involvement is reasonably necessary for assessment, investigation, consultation, or resolution.
Editors and Editorial Board members who have personal, professional, institutional, financial, or other conflicts of interest related to a complaint or appeal will not participate in its evaluation or decision making process.
Where necessary, responsibility for handling the matter will be transferred to an uninvolved editor, Editorial Board member, the Publisher, or an independent expert.
Complaints and appeals should be sent to the official editorial contact address of the International Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies.
Submissions should include:
The full name and contact information of the person submitting the complaint or appeal.
The manuscript ID, article title, or DOI, where applicable.
A clear and concise explanation of the issue.
Relevant evidence, correspondence, or supporting documentation.
The resolution or action requested, where appropriate.
The journal aims to acknowledge complaints and appeals promptly. Each case will be reviewed according to its nature and complexity, and a reasoned response will be provided after sufficient assessment has been completed.
Cases involving complex ethical concerns, institutional investigations, multiple parties, or consultation with independent experts may require additional time. The journal will seek to handle such cases without unnecessary delay while ensuring that the process remains fair and thorough.
IJPES will make reasonable efforts to resolve complaints and appeals through a fair, objective, and transparent process.
When a matter cannot be adequately resolved through the journal's internal procedures, the journal or Publisher may seek independent expert advice or consult relevant publication ethics guidance.
The International Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies follows the principles and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when addressing complaints, editorial appeals, ethical concerns, and allegations of research or publication misconduct.
The journal is pleased to announce the renewal of its Editorial Board. We warmly welcome Professor Jianzhong Xu as our new Co Editor in Chief and extend a sincere welcome to our newly appointed Editorial Board members. We also express our heartfelt gratitude to our former Editorial Board members for their valuable contributions and dedicated service to the journal.
IJPES - International Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies (ISSN: 2148-9378) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative 4.0 International License.
