Ethics Complaints and Appeals Process

Complaint Resolution

Any complaints, concerns, or questions regarding the ethical behavior of JSS authors, peer reviewers, editors, or editorial board should be directed to the editor-in-chief of the journal.

All communications regarding ethical concerns will be kept confidential and acknowledged by the editor within 5 business days after receipt. The editor-in-chief will have the primary responsibility for resolving all ethical concerns. Additional support may be requested by the editor as needed through the editorial staff and ISSS.  The editor-in-chief will strive to investigate and resolve outstanding concerns within 60 days.

When an ethical complaint uncovers malpractice, JSS is committed to correcting the literature when needed. This includes issuing corrections and retractions as soon as possible, as well as notifying affected persons and institutions in a timely manner. For further information on corrections and retractions, please the Post-publication Inquiries and Corrections policy.

Appeals

If an author, reviewer, or editor disagrees with the decision of the editor-in-chief, they may appeal the decision. Upon receiving an appeal, the editor-in-chief shall convene an ad hoc Appeals Committee consisting of the editor-in-chief (as chair) and four editorial board members. The Appeals Committee shall review the appeal and render a decision based on a majority vote within 60 days.