Complaints and Appeals

Editorial Policy

Complaints and Appeals

Jurnal Agroekoteknologi Tropika Lembab provides a fair, confidential, and transparent process for addressing complaints about journal operations and appeals against editorial decisions.

Authors, reviewers, readers, editors, and other stakeholders may raise concerns about the services, policies, conduct, or editorial procedures of Jurnal Agroekoteknologi Tropika Lembab (JATL), internationally titled Humid Tropical Agroecotechnology Journal. Complaints and appeals will be considered respectfully and without retaliation.

Complaint or Appeal?

Complaint

A concern about conduct or process

A complaint concerns journal service, staff or editor conduct, unreasonable delay, confidentiality, communication, fees, published policy, technical access, or another aspect of journal operation.

Appeal

A request to reconsider an editorial decision

An appeal alleges that an editorial decision resulted from a significant factual misunderstanding, procedural error, unmanaged conflict of interest, or clearly relevant evidence that was overlooked.

Core Principle

Independent and Fair Reconsideration

A complaint or appeal should not be decided solely by the person whose conduct or decision is being challenged. Whenever practicable, the matter will be assigned to an authorized editor or institutional representative who was not directly involved and has no relevant competing interest.

Matters Covered by the Complaints Process

A complaint may concern:

  • the conduct of an editor, reviewer, or journal staff member;
  • failure to follow a published editorial procedure;
  • unreasonable or unexplained editorial delay;
  • inappropriate or unprofessional communication;
  • confidentiality or personal-data concerns;
  • an unmanaged conflict of interest;
  • author fees or payment information;
  • website accessibility or technical service;
  • copyright, license, or permissions administration;
  • a failure to respond appropriately to a published error; or
  • another matter involving journal policy or publication practice.

Grounds for an Editorial Appeal

An appeal must identify a substantial reason why the original editorial decision should be reconsidered. Appropriate grounds may include:

Factual Error

The decision relies on a material factual misunderstanding that can be demonstrated through evidence.

Procedural Error

A significant part of the journal's published editorial or peer-review procedure was not followed.

Relevant Evidence Overlooked

Important information already available during the original assessment was clearly misunderstood or not considered.

Conflict or Bias

Evidence indicates that an undisclosed competing interest or inappropriate bias may have materially affected the decision.

What Does Not Normally Constitute an Appeal?

An appeal will not ordinarily be upheld solely because:

  • the author disagrees with the reviewers or editor;
  • another journal might have reached a different decision;
  • the author believes the manuscript is important without addressing the stated concerns;
  • the manuscript has been substantially rewritten after rejection;
  • new experiments or analyses were completed only after the decision; or
  • the appeal merely repeats arguments already considered without identifying a material factual or procedural error.

A substantially changed manuscript is normally treated as a new submission rather than an appeal and may be submitted only when permitted by the editor.

How to Submit a Complaint or Appeal

The request should include:

  1. the complainant's or appellant's full name, affiliation, and contact information;
  2. the manuscript number, article title, DOI, or URL, where relevant;
  3. a clear description of the complaint or grounds for appeal;
  4. the relevant dates, correspondence, decision letter, or policy;
  5. supporting evidence and the outcome being requested; and
  6. any relevant conflict of interest.
Submission Address

Use the subject line “Complaint” or “Editorial Appeal – [Manuscript ID]”.

Email: jurnalagroteknologi@faperta.unmul.ac.id

Submission Period

An editorial appeal should ordinarily be submitted within 30 calendar days after the decision letter. An appeal received later may be considered when there is a reasonable explanation for the delay or when the matter affects research integrity.

Complaints should be submitted as soon as reasonably possible. Significant ethical, legal, confidentiality, or research-integrity concerns may be reported at any time.

Review Procedure

1
Receipt and Registration

The journal records the submission and seeks to acknowledge receipt within seven working days.

2
Initial Assessment

An authorized person determines whether the submission is a complaint, appeal, research-integrity concern, or another type of request and whether further information is required.

3
Independent Assignment

A person whose conduct or decision is challenged will not solely determine the outcome. The case will be assigned to another editor or appropriate institutional representative whenever practicable.

4
Evidence and Response

Relevant records are reviewed, and the person concerned may be invited to respond. Additional editorial or expert advice may be requested where necessary.

5
Written Outcome

The journal provides a written decision with a concise explanation. It aims to do so within 30 working days, but complex cases may require additional time.

6
Corrective Action or Escalation

When a complaint is upheld, the journal may correct the process, reconsider a decision, apologize, update a policy, correct the published record, or refer the matter to an appropriate institutional authority.

Possible Appeal Outcomes

Decision Upheld
The original decision was reasonably supported and the published procedure was followed.
Additional Assessment
An additional editor or independent reviewer is appointed to examine a specific unresolved issue.
Decision Reconsidered
The manuscript returns to an appropriate editorial stage for renewed evaluation.
Referral
The matter is referred to the publisher, managing institution, research institution, ethics body, or another appropriate authority.

Reopening editorial consideration does not guarantee acceptance. The manuscript must still satisfy all scientific, ethical, and editorial requirements.

Complaints Involving the Editor-in-Chief

A complaint concerning the Editor-in-Chief should not be handled solely by the Editor-in-Chief. It may be addressed to the journal's managing institution through the Faculty of Agriculture, Mulawarman University.

Faculty of Agriculture, Mulawarman University

Jl. Pasir Balengkong, Gunung Kelua Campus, Samarinda, East Kalimantan 75119, Indonesia

Email: faperta@unmul.ac.id

Confidentiality and Fair Treatment

Complaint and appeal information will be shared only with persons who require it to assess, respond to, or resolve the matter, subject to applicable legal and institutional requirements. All parties will be treated respectfully and given a reasonable opportunity to provide relevant information.

Submitting a complaint or appeal in good faith will not disadvantage a person in current or future editorial dealings. However, knowingly false, abusive, threatening, discriminatory, or malicious submissions may be discontinued or referred to an appropriate authority.

Final Internal Review

JATL ordinarily permits one formal appeal for each editorial decision. Following independent reconsideration and a written outcome, the journal's internal appeal process is considered complete unless materially new evidence indicates a research-integrity, legal, or procedural issue that requires further action.

Record Keeping

The journal may securely retain the complaint or appeal, relevant correspondence, evidence, assessments, decisions, and actions taken for accountability, quality improvement, and research-integrity purposes, subject to applicable privacy requirements.