Withdrawal Policy

The Insights Sustainable Engineering Practices Journal (ISEP) understands that there may be instances in which authors need to withdraw their manuscripts from the publication process. This policy outlines the conditions and procedures under which a manuscript may be withdrawn and clarifies the responsibilities of both the authors and the editorial team in such cases.

Key Aspects of the Withdrawal Policy:

1. Withdrawal Before Submission:

   • Authors may withdraw their manuscript before submission to the journal’s submission system without any consequences. No fees will be charged, and the manuscript will not be processed further.
   • Authors should promptly inform the editorial team to ensure that the manuscript is removed from the submission system.

2. Withdrawal After Submission but Before Peer Review:

   • If the manuscript has been submitted but not yet entered the peer review process, authors can request to withdraw it without incurring any charges.
   • A formal written request to withdraw the manuscript should be submitted to the editorial team, including the manuscript title, ID, and reason for withdrawal.
   • The manuscript will be removed from the system, and no publication fees will be charged.

3. Withdrawal During Peer Review:

   • If the manuscript is in the peer review stage, authors may request to withdraw it at any time before receiving a final decision from the editorial team.
   • If the manuscript is under review by the editorial team or reviewers, the author must provide a valid reason for withdrawal.
   • In this case, the author may be responsible for partial fees related to editorial and review processes if significant work has already been completed, such as reviewing or copyediting.

4. Withdrawal After Acceptance but Before Publication:

   • Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, the author is expected to proceed with the publication process.
   • However, if the manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance but before publication, the author may be responsible for partial publication fees if editorial work (such as peer review, copyediting, or typesetting) has already been done.
   • The manuscript will be removed from the publication process, and the author will be notified of the decision.

5. Withdrawal After Publication:

   • Once an article has been published, it cannot be withdrawn from the journal as it becomes part of the journal's permanent, publicly accessible archive.
   • If an article needs to be removed due to ethical concerns (e.g., plagiarism, data falsification), a retraction will be issued instead of a withdrawal.
   • The retraction will include a notice explaining the reason for the retraction, and the original article will remain accessible with the retraction clearly indicated.

6. Refunds Upon Withdrawal:

   • If a manuscript is withdrawn before peer review, any applicable publication fees will be refunded in full, minus any administrative costs.
   • If a manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance but before publication, partial refunds may be considered depending on the stage of editorial work that has been completed. Fees for editorial and review services may be non-refundable.
   • No refunds will be issued for articles that have already been published.

7. Request Process:

   • To withdraw a manuscript, authors must send a formal written request to the editorial team via email. The request should include:
     • The manuscript title and ID.
     • A clear reason for the withdrawal.
   • The editorial team will review the request and notify the author of the decision. If the withdrawal is approved, the manuscript will be removed from the review or publication process.

8. Consequences of Unauthorized Withdrawal:

   • If an author withdraws a manuscript without notifying the editorial team or submits the manuscript elsewhere while it is still under consideration at ISEP, the manuscript may be flagged, and the author may face restrictions on future submissions to the journal.
   • Authors should act responsibly and professionally when withdrawing a manuscript and ensure that they follow the proper procedures to maintain transparency and integrity.

This Withdrawal Policy ensures that the manuscript withdrawal process is transparent, fair, and efficient. ISEP is committed to supporting authors throughout the submission and publication process while maintaining the integrity and quality of the journal's operations.