Complaints and Appeals

Journal of Language Education and Literacy (JLEL) is committed to maintaining a fair, transparent, professional, and accountable editorial and publication process. Authors, reviewers, readers, and other stakeholders may raise concerns regarding the journal's editorial procedures, publication process, ethical matters, or published content.

JLEL considers complaints and appeals seriously and seeks to address them objectively, confidentially, and in accordance with recognized principles of publication ethics.

Editorial Appeals

Authors may appeal an editorial decision when they believe that a decision was based on a significant misunderstanding of the manuscript, an error in the review or editorial process, or a substantial factual or procedural issue.

An appeal should:

  • Identify the manuscript title and submission ID;

  • Clearly state the editorial decision being appealed;

  • Explain the specific grounds for the appeal;

  • Address the relevant comments or concerns raised by the editor or reviewers; and

  • Provide supporting information or evidence where appropriate.

Appeals should focus on substantive scientific, scholarly, ethical, or procedural issues. Disagreement with an editorial decision alone does not constitute sufficient grounds for an appeal.

The appeal should be submitted by the corresponding author. Repeated appeals concerning the same decision will normally not be considered unless substantial new information is provided.

Appeal Review Process

Upon receiving an appeal, the Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately designated editor will conduct an initial assessment of the issues raised.

Where necessary, the journal may consult members of the Editorial Board, the original reviewers, or additional independent experts. An editor who has a relevant conflict of interest should not be responsible for determining the outcome of the appeal.

The appeal process may result in:

  • Confirmation of the original editorial decision;

  • Reconsideration of the manuscript;

  • Additional or independent peer review; or

  • Another editorial action considered appropriate based on the circumstances.

An appeal does not automatically result in reversal of the original decision or acceptance of the manuscript.

The journal will communicate the outcome of the appeal to the corresponding author after the assessment has been completed.

Complaints

JLEL welcomes legitimate complaints concerning its editorial and publication activities. Complaints may relate to matters including:

  • Editorial procedures or handling of a manuscript;

  • Peer-review procedures;

  • Unreasonable delays in the editorial process;

  • Publication ethics or research integrity;

  • Authorship or contributorship concerns;

  • Conflicts of interest;

  • Suspected plagiarism, duplicate publication, or other forms of publication misconduct;

  • Errors or ethical concerns involving published articles;

  • Editorial conduct or reviewer conduct; or

  • Other matters directly related to the journal's policies and publishing activities.

Complaints should clearly describe the issue and include sufficient information and supporting documentation to enable an appropriate assessment.

Handling of Complaints

Complaints will be reviewed objectively and, where appropriate, confidentially.

The journal will first determine the nature and scope of the complaint. Depending on the issue, the matter may be referred to the Editor-in-Chief, an appropriate member of the Editorial Board, the publisher, or another appropriate authority.

Individuals who are directly involved in a complaint or who have a relevant conflict of interest should not be responsible for making the final determination concerning that complaint.

Where allegations involve potential publication misconduct, JLEL may request additional information from the relevant parties and take appropriate editorial action in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policies.

Complaints Concerning the Editor-in-Chief

If a complaint concerns the Editor-in-Chief, the matter should be referred to the journal's publisher or an appropriate representative of the Language Education and Literacy Research Group (LELRG), Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), Universitas Negeri Padang, so that the complaint can be considered independently of the Editor-in-Chief.

Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest

JLEL will handle complaints and appeals with appropriate confidentiality. Information will be shared only with individuals whose involvement is necessary for assessing or resolving the matter, subject to applicable ethical and legal requirements.

Editors or other individuals involved in handling a complaint or appeal must disclose relevant conflicts of interest and, where appropriate, recuse themselves from the process.

Publication Ethics

Where a complaint or appeal involves publication ethics, research integrity, corrections, retractions, authorship disputes, conflicts of interest, or suspected misconduct, JLEL will consider the matter in accordance with its publication ethics policies and relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Where appropriate, the journal may contact authors, reviewers, institutions, research-integrity offices, or other relevant parties to obtain information necessary to assess the matter.

Submitting a Complaint or Appeal

Complaints and appeals should be submitted to the JLEL Editorial Office through the journal's official contact channel.

The submission should include, where applicable:

  • The name and contact information of the person submitting the complaint or appeal;

  • The manuscript title and submission ID or DOI of the published article;

  • A clear description of the issue;

  • The grounds for the complaint or appeal; and

  • Relevant supporting documentation or evidence.

For official contact information, please visit the Contact page of the Journal of Language Education and Literacy (JLEL).

JLEL is committed to considering complaints and appeals fairly and to taking appropriate action when substantive editorial, procedural, or ethical concerns are established.