Complaints and Appeals

Conference Proceedings in Science and Management (Conf. Proc. Sci. Manag.) takes complaints and appeals seriously. Conf. Proc. Sci. Manag. follows the procedures of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for handling complaints about editorial decisions, peer review, the conduct of editors or reviewers, and the conduct of the proceedings series itself.

Scope

This procedure covers complaints and appeals concerning:

  • Editorial decisions on individual papers, including rejection or acceptance;
  • The conduct of peer review for a paper or volume;
  • The conduct of volume editors, the Editor-in-Chief, members of the Editorial Advisory Board, or reviewers;
  • The accuracy or integrity of published content;
  • Allegations of research or publication misconduct;
  • The conduct or policies of the proceedings series as a whole.

Complaints about manuscript decisions made by the volume editors of a specific conference should first be raised with those volume editors. If the matter is not resolved at that level, or if the complaint concerns the volume editors themselves, the complaint may be escalated to the editorial office of Conf. Proc. Sci. Manag.

Concerns about the integrity of a published paper, including possible errors or research misconduct, may also be raised through the procedure set out on the Corrections, Retractions, and Errata page.

How to Submit a Complaint or Appeal

Complaints and appeals should be submitted in writing to the editorial office at info@shoramedits.com, with the subject line beginning "Complaint:" or "Appeal:".

The submission should include:

  • The full name and contact details of the person submitting the complaint or appeal;
  • A clear description of the matter being raised;
  • The title, authors, and identifier of any paper or volume concerned;
  • Supporting evidence or documentation, where available;
  • The outcome the complainant is seeking.

Anonymous complaints will be considered if they include sufficient evidence to be investigated, but anonymity may limit the ability of Conf. Proc. Sci. Manag. to seek clarification or update the complainant on the outcome.

Acknowledgment and Timeline

The editorial office acknowledges receipt of every complaint or appeal within five working days.

An initial substantive response is provided within twenty working days, indicating either the outcome of the matter or, where investigation is ongoing, an estimated timeline for resolution.

Complex investigations, particularly those involving allegations of misconduct or requiring input from authors' institutions, may take longer. The complainant is kept informed of progress.

Who Handles Complaints

Complaints are reviewed in the first instance by the Editor-in-Chief. Where the complaint concerns the Editor-in-Chief personally, or where the Editor-in-Chief has a conflict of interest, the matter is referred to the Chair of the Editorial Advisory Board for handling.

Conf. Proc. Sci. Manag. may consult COPE for guidance on individual cases, particularly those involving allegations of misconduct or unresolved disputes.

Possible Outcomes

Possible outcomes of a complaint or appeal include:

  • Reversal or modification of an editorial decision;
  • Issue of a correction, expression of concern, or retraction;
  • Apology and explanation, where an error in process is established;
  • Disciplinary action against editors or reviewers found to have acted improperly;
  • Notification of authors' institutions or funders, where misconduct is established;
  • Dismissal of the complaint, where investigation finds no substantive basis.

The proceedings series communicates the outcome of every investigation in writing to the person who raised the complaint, with reasons.

Confidentiality

Complaints are handled confidentially. Conf. Proc. Sci. Manag. does not disclose the identity of complainants to those they are complaining about, except where disclosure is necessary to investigate or resolve the matter, and only with the complainant's prior agreement.

External Recourse

If a complainant is not satisfied with the outcome of an investigation by Conf. Proc. Sci. Manag., they may escalate the matter to:

  • The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), which provides advice and guidance on publication ethics disputes;
  • The complainant's own institution or research integrity office, where misconduct is alleged;
  • The relevant funder of the research, where applicable.

Conf. Proc. Sci. Manag. cooperates with all such external bodies in their investigations.

No Retaliation

Conf. Proc. Sci. Manag. does not retaliate against authors, reviewers, or readers who in good faith raise complaints, allegations of misconduct, or appeals. A complaint properly raised does not affect the consideration of the complainant's future submissions to Conf. Proc. Sci. Manag.