Article Withdrawal Policy

E-ISSN: 2277-7547

The International Journal of Behavioral Social and Movement Sciences (IJOBSMS) is committed to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly publishing process. This Article Withdrawal Policy establishes the procedures and conditions under which a manuscript may be withdrawn before publication.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure fair treatment of authors while safeguarding the integrity of the editorial and peer review process. The journal recognizes that legitimate circumstances may arise that require withdrawal of a manuscript before publication; however, withdrawal requests must be handled responsibly and in accordance with accepted publication ethics standards.

Purpose of Article Withdrawal

Article withdrawal applies only to manuscripts that have been submitted to the journal but have not yet been formally published. The withdrawal process is intended to:

  • Maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.
  • Prevent the publication of inaccurate or unreliable research.
  • Address legitimate author concerns before publication.
  • Support ethical and transparent editorial practices.
Editorial Evaluation of Withdrawal Requests

Upon receipt of a withdrawal request, the Editorial Office will evaluate the request and determine whether withdrawal is appropriate. The evaluation may consider:

  • • The stage of editorial processing.
  • • The status of peer review.
  • • The reasons provided by the authors.
  • • Potential ethical concerns.
  • • Compliance with journal policies.

The journal reserves the right to seek additional clarification or supporting information before making a decision.

Author-Initiated Withdrawal

Authors may request withdrawal of a manuscript before publication under legitimate circumstances, including:

• Discovery of significant errors within the manuscript.
• Unintentional duplicate submission to another journal.
• Identification of ethical concerns affecting the study.
• Serious methodological or analytical issues that affect the validity of the findings.
• Errors in data collection, analysis, or interpretation.
• Other circumstances considered reasonable by the Editorial Office.
Submission Requirements:

All withdrawal requests must:

  • • Be submitted in writing by the corresponding author.
  • • Include a clear explanation for the withdrawal request.
  • • Confirm that all co-authors have been informed of the request.

The journal may request written confirmation from all authors before processing the withdrawal.

Withdrawal During Peer Review

Authors may request withdrawal during peer review; however, the journal encourages authors to make such decisions only after careful consideration.

Withdrawal requests submitted after reviewers have invested substantial time and effort in evaluating the manuscript may require additional editorial review before approval.

Withdrawal After Acceptance

Requests to withdraw a manuscript after acceptance will be considered only in exceptional circumstances. Examples may include:

  • • Discovery of serious errors affecting the validity of the study.
  • • Newly identified ethical concerns.
  • • Significant issues relating to authorship, data integrity, or research conduct.

Authors requesting withdrawal after acceptance must provide a detailed explanation and any relevant supporting documentation.

The final decision regarding post-acceptance withdrawal rests with the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board.

Withdrawal by the Journal

The journal reserves the right to withdraw a manuscript before publication if:

Evidence of plagiarism is identified.
Data fabrication or falsification is suspected.
Duplicate submission is confirmed.
Ethical approval requirements have not been satisfied.
Serious authorship disputes arise.
Undisclosed conflicts of interest are identified.
Significant breaches of publication ethics are detected.

Where appropriate, authors will be informed of the reasons for withdrawal.

Unethical Withdrawal Practices

The journal discourages unethical withdrawal practices that undermine the integrity of scholarly publishing. Examples include:

  • • Withdrawal solely to submit the manuscript elsewhere after receiving favorable reviewer comments.
  • • Withdrawal without valid justification after extensive editorial or peer review processing.
  • • Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to multiple journals.
  • • Failure to respond to editorial communications followed by withdrawal requests.

Such actions may be considered breaches of publication ethics and may result in appropriate editorial action.

Published Articles

Once an article has been formally published, it cannot be withdrawn. Concerns relating to published articles will be handled in accordance with the journal’s:

• Retraction Policy
• Corrections and Record Integrity Policy
• Publication Ethics Policy

Where necessary, the journal may issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions to preserve the integrity of the scholarly record.

Editorial Decision

The final decision regarding article withdrawal rests with the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board. All decisions will be made fairly, objectively, and in accordance with publication ethics principles, editorial policies, and internationally recognized best practices.

COPE Compliance

IJOBSMS follows the principles and best practice guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and supports transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct throughout the publication process.

Policy Review

This policy may be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect developments in publication ethics, editorial standards, scholarly communication, and international publishing practices.

Commitment to Research Integrity Notice: The journal is committed to maintaining high standards of scholarly publishing and research integrity. Article withdrawal procedures are implemented solely to protect the quality, accuracy, and reliability of the scholarly record.