Appeals & Complaints

This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to, under consideration by, or published in JQBio, and to the services the Journal provides to Authors, Editors, and reviewers. It covers:

• Appeals against editorial decisions, such as a rejection or a request for revision, where the Authors believe the decision was not reached in line with the Journal’s published quality standards or editorial processes.
• Complaints about the Journal’s service, including the handling, timeliness, or communication of a submission, or the conduct of the peer review process.
• General feedback and comments on the Journal, its policies, or its website.

Concerns about research or publication misconduct, such as plagiarism, data fabrication, or authorship disputes, are handled under the Journal’s publication ethics procedures and may be referred there from this process.

JQBio is committed to a fair, transparent, and accountable editorial process. Where an Author’s experience has fallen short of the standards the Journal sets for its editorial decisions and service, we want to know, and we will examine the matter carefully and impartially.

Every complaint and appeal is considered on a case-by-case basis, on its own merits and against the evidence available. Submitting a complaint or appeal will not prejudice the handling of the manuscript concerned or any future submission by the same Authors.

To make sure each matter receives the right level of attention, we keep a clear separation between general feedback and formal complaints or appeals.

• General feedback and comments may be sent informally by anyone, including Authors, reviewers, and readers. Feedback is read and used to improve our policies and services, but it does not open a formal investigation and does not change any editorial decision.
• Formal complaints and appeals relate to a specific manuscript or published article and seek a defined outcome. They must meet the requirements in Section 4. A message that does not meet those requirements will be treated as general feedback until a complete formal submission is received.

Formal complaints and appeals are accepted only by email sent directly from the corresponding author assigned to the manuscript in our submission system. We cannot act on formal requests from co-authors, institutions, or third parties, though the corresponding author may copy them in.

The corresponding author must send a formal letter that includes:

1. Identifiers: the manuscript ID and, where applicable, the article DOI, title, and any other relevant reference numbers.
2. Confirmation of authority: a statement confirming that the corresponding author is writing on behalf of, and with the agreement of, all Authors of the manuscript.
3. Scope: a precise description of the decision, event, or service issue being complained about or appealed, and why the Authors believe it did not meet the Journal’s standards.
4. Expected resolution: the specific outcome the Authors are seeking.
5. Evidence: clear supporting evidence, such as a point-by-point response to reviewer or editor comments, correspondence, or data that addresses the grounds for the decision.

An appeal should explain why the decision should be reconsidered, for example where a reviewer misunderstood a central aspect of the work or where a factual error affected the outcome. Disagreement with a decision, without substantive grounds, is not in itself a basis for appeal. Where it would help the assessment, the Journal may ask the corresponding author to provide specific additional evidence before the matter proceeds.

JQBio’s submission system keeps a tamper-proof record of each manuscript throughout its life, including submitted files and versions, reviewer reports, editorial decisions, correspondence, and the timing of each step.

This record forms the primary evidence base for every complaint and appeal. It is considered alongside the evidence supplied by the corresponding author, so that each matter is assessed against an accurate and verifiable account of what took place.

1. Acknowledgement. The editorial office acknowledges receipt of each formal complaint or appeal and confirms whether it is complete.
2. Triage. The matter is triaged by one of the Journal’s technical managers or the Managing Editor, who verify the sender and identifiers, check that the requirements in Section 4 are met, and gather the relevant records from the submission system.
3. Escalation and assessment. The matter is then escalated to the Editor-in-Chief, who assesses every complaint and appeal personally. Where appropriate, the Editor-in-Chief may consult members of the Editorial Board or seek an additional independent review. Anyone with a conflict of interest in the matter, including the handling Editor of the original decision, does not take part in the assessment.
4. Recommendation and response. The Editor-in-Chief recommends the next steps, and the corresponding author is informed of the outcome and the reasons for it in writing.

Possible outcomes of an appeal include upholding the original decision, inviting a revised submission, sending the manuscript for further review, or reversing the decision. Possible outcomes of a complaint include an explanation, an apology, corrective action, or changes to the Journal’s processes.

Each manuscript decision may be appealed once. The outcome of the Editor-in-Chief’s assessment is final, unless significant new evidence becomes available that was not previously considered.

Complaints and appeals that are incomplete, are not sent by the corresponding author, or lack the required identifiers or evidence will be returned with an explanation of what is missing. They will not be progressed until a complete submission is received.

We expect all correspondence to be courteous and professional. JQBio reserves the right to decline to engage with communications that are abusive, threatening, or repetitive on a matter that has already been resolved. Where a complaint or appeal raises concerns about research or publication ethics, the Journal may suspend the matter while those concerns are investigated.

Formal complaints and appeals, and questions about this policy, should be sent by the corresponding author to the editorial office at appeals@jqbio.org.

Please include the manuscript ID and, where applicable, the article DOI in the subject line of your email so that your message can be matched to the correct submission record.