Complaints and Appeals

 

ORASI: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi
Complaints and Appeals Policy
Fairness, Transparency, and Editorial Accountability

Policy Statement

ORASI: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi is committed to handling complaints and appeals fairly, objectively, transparently, and confidentially. The journal recognizes that authors, reviewers, readers, and other stakeholders may raise legitimate concerns regarding editorial procedures, professional conduct, peer review, publication practices, or editorial decisions.

This policy establishes a clear procedure for submitting, assessing, and resolving complaints and appeals while protecting editorial independence, maintaining academic integrity, and promoting confidence in the scholarly publication process.

1. Scope of Complaints and Appeals

1.1 Complaints

A complaint is a formal expression of concern or dissatisfaction about the journal's editorial processes, policies, professional conduct, or publication practices. Complaints may include:

  • Unreasonable delays in manuscript processing or lack of appropriate editorial communication.
  • Concerns about the conduct of editors, reviewers, or editorial staff.
  • Alleged bias, conflicts of interest, or breaches of confidentiality.
  • Inconsistencies in the application of editorial policies or peer-review procedures.
  • Concerns about transparency, fairness, or editorial independence.
  • Other matters relating to the journal's policies, procedures, and publication ethics.
1.2 Appeals

An appeal is a formal request by an author to reconsider an editorial decision concerning a submitted manuscript. An appeal may be considered when the author provides specific and reasonable grounds, such as:

  • A factual or technical error that may have affected the editorial decision.
  • A material misunderstanding of the manuscript's objectives, methods, evidence, or conclusions.
  • Evidence that the review or decision-making process may have been procedurally unfair or biased.
  • Relevant information that was not considered during the original assessment.

An appeal must explain the specific reasons for reconsideration and should be supported by relevant evidence. Disagreement with an editorial decision alone does not guarantee that an appeal will be accepted.

2. Matters Covered by Other Policies

To ensure that concerns are handled through the appropriate procedure, certain matters may be referred to other relevant ORASI policies:

Research Misconduct
Suspected plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification, authorship misconduct, or other violations of research integrity are handled under the Research Misconduct policy.
Post-Publication Discussion
Substantive concerns, scholarly comments, or discussion about the interpretation and conclusions of a published article may be addressed through the post-publication discussion process.
Corrections and Retractions
Requests to correct errors in published articles or concerns that may require retraction should be assessed under the journal's applicable correction and retraction procedures.

3. How to Submit a Complaint or Appeal

Complaints and appeals should be submitted in writing to the ORASI Editorial Office through the journal's official contact channels. The subject line should clearly identify the purpose of the correspondence.

Recommended email subject
Complaint – [Manuscript ID or Article Title]
Appeal – [Manuscript ID or Article Title]

The submission should include the following information, where applicable:

  • The complainant's or author's name, institutional affiliation, and contact details.
  • The manuscript identification number, article title, and DOI, if relevant.
  • A clear and factual description of the concern or grounds for appeal.
  • Relevant supporting documents, correspondence, review comments, or other evidence.
  • For an appeal, an explanation of why the original decision should be reconsidered and which aspects require review.
Important: Please use the official contact information listed on the ORASI journal website. No email address is specified here because the appropriate editorial contact should be verified before this policy is published.

4. Procedures for Handling Complaints

ORASI handles complaints through a structured process designed to ensure that concerns are assessed impartially and resolved on the basis of relevant information and evidence.

STEP 01
Receipt and Registration
The Editorial Office receives and records the complaint and, where contact details are available, acknowledges receipt.
STEP 02
Initial Assessment
The Editor-in-Chief or an appropriate independent editor determines whether the complaint falls within the scope of this policy and identifies any conflict of interest.
STEP 03
Clarification and Response
Where necessary, relevant parties are invited to provide explanations, documents, or other information needed for a fair assessment.
STEP 04
Review and Evaluation
If required, an independent editor or qualified expert may be consulted to assess the evidence and recommend appropriate action.
STEP 05
Decision and Response
The journal communicates the outcome and, where appropriate, the reasons for the decision. Corrective action is taken when a complaint is upheld.

5. Procedures for Handling Appeals

Authors who believe that an editorial decision was affected by a factual error, a material misunderstanding, or a procedural concern may submit a reasoned appeal to the Editorial Office.

  • An appeal must provide specific grounds and relevant evidence rather than simply express disagreement with the decision.
  • The Editor-in-Chief or an appropriate editor reviews the appeal together with the original decision and relevant peer-review reports.
  • Where necessary, the journal may seek an independent editorial assessment or additional expert opinion.
  • An editor who participated in the original decision or has a conflict of interest should not independently determine the appeal.
  • The journal communicates the outcome to the author after the assessment has been completed.
Finality of appeal: An appeal does not guarantee that the original decision will be changed. As a general policy, only one appeal is considered for each editorial decision. The outcome of the appeal is final, and a rejected manuscript will not ordinarily be reconsidered again through repeated appeals, unless exceptional circumstances justify further review.

6. Independence, Confidentiality, and Fairness

All complaints and appeals must be considered on relevant scholarly, procedural, and ethical grounds. ORASI is committed to the following principles:

  • Impartiality: Complaints and appeals are assessed objectively, without discrimination based on nationality, institutional affiliation, seniority, or other irrelevant considerations.
  • Editorial independence: Decisions are based on the merits of the case and the journal's policies, not on commercial or personal interests.
  • Conflict of interest: Editors or reviewers with a relevant conflict of interest must disclose it and withdraw from the decision-making process where appropriate.
  • Confidentiality: Information is shared only with individuals who need it to assess or resolve the case, subject to applicable legal or institutional requirements.
  • Good-faith reporting: Individuals who raise concerns in good faith must not be subjected to retaliation by the journal.
  • Respectful communication: All parties are expected to communicate professionally and provide accurate information throughout the process.

7. Possible Outcomes

Depending on the nature of the concern and the evidence available, ORASI may take one or more of the following actions:

Complaint not upheld
Provide an explanation of the assessment and close the case where no further action is warranted.
Procedural improvement
Correct an administrative or communication issue and improve relevant editorial procedures.
Appeal accepted
Reconsider the editorial decision or arrange additional assessment when justified by the evidence.
Ethical concern identified
Refer the matter to the relevant research misconduct, correction, or retraction procedure where appropriate.

8. Records and Continuous Improvement

The Editorial Office maintains appropriate records of complaints and appeals, including the nature of the concern, relevant correspondence, evidence considered, the decision reached, and the reasons for that decision. Records are handled confidentially and used to support accountability, consistent editorial practice, and continuous improvement of the journal's procedures.

9. Related Policies

This policy should be read together with other relevant editorial policies of ORASI: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi.

Fairness and Accountability in Scholarly Publishing

ORASI: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi is committed to addressing complaints and appeals responsibly, protecting editorial independence, and maintaining trust in the scholarly publication process.