Complaints and Appeals Policy

The Journal of Learning and Educational Policy (JLEP) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of editorial fairness, transparency, and integrity. We take all complaints and appeals seriously and handle them in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Who Can Submit a Complaint or Appeal?

Any person may submit a complaint or appeal, including:

  • Authors (regarding editorial decisions, peer review conduct, or publication processes)
  • Reviewers (regarding editorial conduct or treatment)
  • Readers (regarding published content)
  • Third parties (regarding ethical violations in published work)

Types of Complaints

JLEP handles complaints related to:

  • Unfair, biased, or inconsistent editorial decisions
  • Peer reviewer misconduct (e.g., breach of confidentiality, plagiarism of reviewed work)
  • Editor misconduct or conflict of interest
  • Errors or inaccuracies in published articles
  • Alleged plagiarism, data fabrication, or other research misconduct in published work
  • Breach of author rights or copyright

How to Submit a Complaint or Appeal

Step 1: Contact the Editor-in-Chief

All complaints and appeals should be submitted in writing to:

Dr. Nimisha Beri, Editor-in-Chief

Email: editorinchief.jlep@gmail.com

Your complaint should include:

  • Your full name and contact details
  • The specific article or decision in question (include title and DOI if applicable)
  • A clear description of the complaint or grounds for appeal
  • Any supporting evidence

Step 2: Acknowledgement

We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 5 business days.

Step 3: Investigation

The Editor-in-Chief will investigate the complaint, which may involve consulting members of the editorial board, reviewers, or authors. Where the complaint involves the Editor-in-Chief personally, a senior member of the editorial board will handle the investigation.

The investigation will typically be completed within 30 days. For complex cases, we will provide a progress update within 30 days and aim to resolve the complaint within 60 days.

Step 4: Decision and Response

We will communicate our findings and any actions taken to the complainant. Actions may include:

  • A formal response with explanation
  • Correction or erratum publication
  • Retraction of the article
  • Changes to editorial processes
  • Referral to institutional authorities for cases of research misconduct

Appeals

If an author believes their manuscript has been rejected unfairly, they may appeal the editorial decision by submitting a written appeal to the Editor-in-Chief within 30 days of the decision. The appeal must include specific grounds for the appeal and must not simply restate the original arguments. Appeals are reviewed by at least one editorial board member not involved in the original decision.

Escalation

If a complainant is not satisfied with our response, they may contact:

  • The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE): https://publicationethics.org
  • HM Publishers: through the journal website contact form

Confidentiality

All complaints are handled confidentially. The identity of the complainant will not be revealed to the parties under investigation without the complainant's consent, unless required by applicable law.