Withdrawal Policy

The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR) is committed to maintaining the integrity and transparency of its publishing process. This Withdrawal Policy outlines the circumstances under which a submitted or published manuscript can be withdrawn, the procedures involved, and the responsibilities of authors during this process.

1. Conditions for Withdrawal

  • Before Peer Review: Authors may withdraw their manuscript at any time before the peer review process begins without any penalty or requirement to justify the decision. To withdraw a manuscript, authors should contact the editorial team with a formal request via email at journal@hostajournal.com.

  • After Peer Review: Once the manuscript enters the peer review process, authors must provide a valid reason for withdrawing the manuscript. Reasons may include personal or professional circumstances that prevent the author from continuing the submission or if the manuscript has been submitted to another journal without proper notification.

  • After Acceptance: After the manuscript has been accepted for publication, authors are generally not allowed to withdraw it without substantial justification. If withdrawal is requested after acceptance, the author must provide compelling reasons (e.g., ethical concerns, severe errors in the manuscript, withdrawal of authorship, etc.). The editorial board will review such requests on a case-by-case basis.

  • During Publication: Once an article is in the publication process (i.e., being typeset, formatted, or ready for print), withdrawal is not permitted unless there are significant ethical issues or publishing errors. In such cases, the author must notify the editorial team immediately, and the issue will be assessed promptly.

2. Procedure for Withdrawal

  • Formal Request: To initiate a withdrawal request, the corresponding author must send an email to the editorial office, clearly stating the reason for withdrawal and the stage of the process at which the manuscript is currently located. The request should include the manuscript title, author(s) names, manuscript ID, and the submission date.

  • Acknowledgment of Withdrawal: The editorial team will acknowledge the withdrawal request and confirm its receipt within 3–5 business days. If the withdrawal is approved, the manuscript will be removed from the editorial and review process immediately.

  • Confirmation of Withdrawal: Once the manuscript is successfully withdrawn, authors will receive a formal acknowledgment of withdrawal. This confirmation will include details regarding the status of the manuscript (whether it was removed before peer review, after review, or after acceptance).

3. Consequences of Withdrawal

  • No Fees: Manuscripts withdrawn before peer review or before acceptance will not incur any fees. If applicable, any submission or processing fees paid will be refunded in full, provided the manuscript has not progressed to the review stage.

  • After Peer Review: If a manuscript is withdrawn after the peer review process has begun, authors may be required to pay a small administrative fee to cover the costs of the review process already completed. This fee is typically communicated to the author at the time of withdrawal request.

  • After Acceptance: In cases where an article has been accepted for publication, and the author wishes to withdraw, the journal may assess a higher fee to cover the work involved in the editorial and publishing process. The final decision on the applicable fee will be at the discretion of the editorial board.

4. Plagiarism and Ethical Concerns

If an article is withdrawn due to plagiarism or ethical misconduct, the International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research will retain a record of the withdrawn article and its details. The journal reserves the right to inform other journals or institutions if the withdrawal is related to serious ethical violations or publication misconduct.

5. Special Circumstances

  • Co-Author Disputes: If a withdrawal request is due to a dispute between co-authors (e.g., one author wishes to withdraw the paper but others do not), the corresponding author must provide evidence of the dispute and any related communications. The editorial board will review the case and make a decision based on the best interests of all parties involved.

  • Duplicate Submissions: If a manuscript is withdrawn due to the discovery of simultaneous submission to another journal, the author may be blacklisted from submitting to the International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research in the future.

6. Communication with Authors

  • Timely Response: Authors will receive prompt and clear communication throughout the withdrawal process. The editorial team is committed to providing transparency regarding the status of any withdrawal request.

  • Final Decision: The editorial board retains the right to accept or reject any withdrawal request after reviewing the circumstances. In cases of dispute, the final decision on withdrawal rests with the editorial board.

7. Conclusion

The International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research maintains a flexible and transparent policy for manuscript withdrawals, ensuring that authors can make decisions in the best interest of their research. The process is designed to be straightforward and fair, offering authors the opportunity to withdraw their submissions at appropriate stages without penalty, while also maintaining the integrity of the journal’s editorial process.

8. Ethical Standards and COPE Guidelines

IJMR handles manuscript withdrawal requests according to ethical publishing practices and the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Withdrawal requests are evaluated carefully to protect the rights of authors, reviewers, editors, and the integrity of the scholarly record. Withdrawal of published articles is not permitted except in cases involving serious ethical concerns, errors, or publication misconduct, which may be handled through correction or retraction procedures.