Procedures for Dealing with Complaints and Appeals

Any individual may report suspected unethical behavior or publication misconduct to the Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Board members, or Publisher at any time. Reports must be accompanied by sufficient supporting information or evidence to justify an investigation.

 

Investigation Protocol: 

Initiation: The Editor-in-Chief consults with the Editorial Board to evaluate incoming allegations and determine whether a formal investigation is warranted.

 Confidentiality: All evidence, communications, and documentation collected during an investigation are strictly confidential and shared only with individuals directly involved in the inquiry.

 Right of Reply: The accused party will always be notified of the allegations and granted a fair opportunity to present a response and supporting evidence before any final determination is made.

 Classification: Upon completing the investigation, confirmed misconduct is categorized as either minor or major to determine the appropriate response.

 Misconduct Classification and Responses:

 Minor Misconduct

Minor issues—such as unintentional citation omissions or minor misunderstandings of academic publishing standards—are handled directly with the involved parties without broader institutional escalation:

 Direct Communication: Clarifying letters are issued to authors or reviewers to resolve minor misunderstandings of academic policies.

 Formal Warnings: A formal warning letter may be issued to the individual involved to prevent future occurrences.

 Major Misconduct:

For severe ethical violations (e.g., plagiarism, data fabrication, unauthorized peer-review manipulation), the Editor-in-Chief, in consultation with the Editorial Board and external subject-matter experts, will determine the appropriate sanctions based on the gathered evidence. Possible actions include one or a combination of the following:

 Public Statement: Publication of a formal notice, editorial, or statement detailing the nature of the misconduct.

 Institutional Notification: Issuing a formal written report outlining the findings to the head of the author’s or reviewer’s department, employer, or funding agency.

 Formal Retraction: Retraction or withdrawal of the affected publication in accordance with the ACIE Journal Retraction Policy.

 Submission Ban: Imposition of a temporary or permanent embargo barring the individual from submitting manuscripts or serving as a reviewer for the ACIE Journal.

 Legal and Professional Referral: Escalating the case to relevant professional organizations, regulatory bodies, or legal authorities for further investigation and action.

 Guidelines and Flowcharts

For all ethics inquiries, complaints, and appeals, the Editorial Team adheres strictly to the guidelines and procedural recommendations set forth in the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Flowcharts.