Appeals and Complaints Policy

Any author wishing to appeal an editorial decision or raise concerns regarding peer review, publication ethics, or editorial procedures should submit a written statement to the Editor-in-Chief, accompanied by detailed justification and supporting evidence. Bran Journal will investigate all appeals and complaints fairly, objectively, and confidentially in line with its editorial policies. Complainants will be notified of the investigation's findings, and decisions made on appeals will be considered final

1 Appeals of Editorial Decisions

Authors may appeal a rejection decision if they believe that:

· The editorial decision was based on factual errors.

· Reviewer comments were incorrect or misunderstood the work.

· There were factual or technical errors in the review

 ·There were procedural irregularities in the review process.

 · The manuscript was not fairly evaluated.

• A reviewer or editor may have had a conflict of interest.
• Bias affected the editorial decision.

Requirements for an appeal:

• The appeal must be submitted by the corresponding author with agreement from all co-authors.Submit the appeal in writing within one month of the decision.

· Submit a detailed rebuttal addressing reviewers' and editors' comments.

· Provide evidence supporting the request for reconsideration.

· Maintain professional and respectful communication.

The journal generally will not consider appeals when:

· An appeal has already been evaluated for the manuscript.

· The appeal concerns only journal scope or fit.

· No substantive evidence is provided.

·The appeal contains inappropriate language or personal accusations.

Final decisions on appeals remain at the discretion of the journal and are considered final.

2  Complaints about Published Articles

Readers who identify concerns about a published article should:

· First contact the corresponding author when appropriate.

· If unresolved, submit a formal complaint to the Chief Editor.

The complaint should include:

· Article details (title, authors, DOI, journal).

· Description of the concern.

· Evidence supporting the concern.

· Any previous communication with the authors.

· Disclosure of any conflicts of interest.

 

3    Complaints about Publication Ethics

The Journal investigates concerns such as:

· Plagiarism.

· Data fabrication or falsification.

· Image manipulation.

· Undisclosed conflicts of interest.

· Reviewer or editor misconduct.

· Legal or ethical issues related to published work.

Depending on the outcome, actions may include:

· Publication of a correction (corrigendum).

· Expression of Concern.

· Retraction of the article.

4    Investigation Process

The complaint is typically reviewed by the Chief Editor, often in consultation with:

· The Handling Editor,

· Editorial Board members,

· Research integrity specialists,

· Legal counsel (for legal matters).

The complaint may be dismissed if it is unsubstantiated, or a formal investigation may be initiated if sufficient grounds exist.