Refund Policy

The Insights Sustainable Engineering Practices Journal (ISEP) is committed to providing a fair and transparent process for authors submitting their manuscripts. While ISEP primarily operates under an open-access model, we recognize that there may be situations where an author needs to withdraw their manuscript or request a refund for Article Processing Charges (APC) paid. This Refund Policy outlines the conditions under which a refund may be issued.

Key Aspects of the Refund Policy:

1. Article Processing Charges (APC):

   • ISEP charges an Article Processing Charge (APC) to cover the costs of manuscript peer review, editorial handling, and publication. This fee is communicated to authors during the submission process, and payment is typically requested upon acceptance of the manuscript.
   • The APC is intended to support the journal’s open-access model, ensuring that articles are freely accessible to the global research community.

2. Refund Eligibility:

   • Before Acceptance: If a manuscript is withdrawn before acceptance (i.e., before it enters the peer review process), full refunds will be provided for any APC fees paid, minus any administrative costs that may apply.
   • After Acceptance but Before Publication: If a manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance but before publication, a partial refund may be issued. The amount refunded will depend on the stage of the publication process, such as whether the manuscript has already been reviewed, edited, or formatted. Refunds in this stage are considered on a case-by-case basis.
   • After Publication: Once an article is published, no refunds will be issued. The article becomes part of the journal’s permanent record and is freely available under the open-access model, which means that the APC is non-refundable.

3. Non-Refundable Fees:

   • Any fees for additional services, such as expedited peer review or special editorial requests, are non-refundable.
   • Manuscripts that are rejected due to failure to meet the journal’s standards, ethical issues (e.g., plagiarism), or other non-submission-related reasons will not be refunded.

4. Requesting a Refund:

   • Authors who wish to request a refund must submit a formal written request to the editorial team. The request should include:
     • The manuscript title and ID.
     • The reason for the withdrawal.
   • Refund requests should be made as soon as possible after the author decides to withdraw the manuscript. Delays in submitting the request may impact the decision-making process.

5. Processing Time for Refunds:

   • Once a refund request is approved, it will be processed within 4-6 weeks, depending on the payment method and the complexity of the request.
   • Refunds will be issued using the same payment method used by the author to pay the APC.

6. Exceptional Circumstances:

   • In rare cases, such as administrative errors or issues on the journal’s end, ISEP may consider issuing a full or partial refund even after acceptance or publication.
   • Refunds in these exceptional circumstances will be handled on a case-by-case basis, and the author will be notified of the decision.

7. Impact on Future Submissions:

   • If a manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance or during the production process, the author may face restrictions on future submissions to ISEP, especially if the withdrawal is made without a valid reason or after significant editorial work has been completed.

This Refund Policy ensures that authors are treated fairly and transparently throughout the submission, review, and publication process. ISEP aims to maintain professionalism and clarity regarding the financial aspects of the journal’s operations, helping authors make informed decisions while supporting the sustainable operation of the journal’s open-access model.