The Diyala Journal for Veterinary Sciences (DJVS) is committed to maintaining fairness, transparency, accountability, and integrity in its editorial, peer-review, and publication processes. This policy explains how authors, reviewers, readers, and other stakeholders may submit an appeal against an editorial decision or raise a complaint related to the journal’s editorial practices, publication ethics, or published content.
Authors may submit an appeal if they believe that an editorial decision was based on:
A misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the manuscript.
A factual or procedural error during the editorial or peer-review process.
A review process that was biased, unfair, incomplete, or inconsistent with DJVS editorial policies.
An appeal should be based on clear scientific, procedural, or ethical grounds. Disagreement with the editorial decision alone is not sufficient reason for an appeal.
Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief at:
Email: djvs@uodiyala.edu.iq
The appeal should include:
Manuscript title and manuscript number.
Name and contact details of the corresponding author.
A clear explanation of the reason for the appeal.
Specific points in the editorial decision or reviewer comments that are being challenged.
Any supporting evidence or scientific justification.
The Editor-in-Chief will review the appeal in consultation with relevant members of the editorial board.
If necessary, the manuscript may be reassessed by an independent reviewer or another qualified editor who was not involved in the original decision.
The appeal will be handled objectively and confidentially.
A written response will normally be provided within 30 working days of receiving the complete appeal.
The outcome of the appeal may include maintaining the original decision, requesting further review, inviting a revised submission, or taking another appropriate editorial action.
The decision made after completion of the appeal process is final.
DJVS considers complaints related to, but not limited to:
Delays or irregularities in the editorial or peer-review process.
Suspected breaches of publication ethics.
Reviewer, editor, or author misconduct.
Conflicts of interest.
Breaches of confidentiality.
Concerns about published articles.
Data protection or privacy concerns.
Errors in editorial procedures or journal policies.
Complaints should be submitted in writing to:
Email: djvs@uodiyala.edu.iq
The complaint should include:
Name and contact details of the complainant.
A clear description of the issue.
Relevant manuscript number, article title, DOI, or publication details, where applicable.
Supporting documentation or evidence.
Complaints should be written in a professional and respectful manner and should provide sufficient information to allow proper investigation.
The editorial office will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 7 working days.
The Editor-in-Chief will review the complaint and may consult the editorial board, relevant editors, reviewers, authors, or institutional representatives where appropriate.
If the complaint involves the Editor-in-Chief or presents a potential conflict of interest, the matter will be handled by an appropriate senior member of the editorial board or by the journal’s publisher or responsible institution.
A formal response will normally be provided within 30 working days after receiving the complete complaint.
If additional time is required for investigation, the complainant will be informed of the reason for the delay.
Anonymous complaints may be considered at the discretion of the editorial office if they contain sufficient evidence and detail to allow a fair investigation.
Complaints involving serious publication ethics concerns, such as plagiarism, duplicate publication, data fabrication, data falsification, image manipulation, authorship disputes, undisclosed conflicts of interest, or unethical research practices, will be handled in accordance with recognized principles of publication ethics and relevant COPE guidance where applicable.
Possible editorial actions may include correction, expression of concern, retraction, notification of authors’ institutions, or other appropriate measures, depending on the nature and severity of the case.
DJVS will handle appeals and complaints confidentially and will disclose information only to individuals directly involved in the review or investigation process.
Submitting an appeal or complaint in good faith will not negatively affect an author’s, reviewer’s, or reader’s future interactions with the journal.
False, abusive, defamatory, or bad-faith complaints may be rejected without further consideration.
Note: The author must complete the Statement of Copyright Transfer, Financial Disclosure, Use of AI, and Authorship Responsibility form (attached below) and upload it along with the submitted manuscript.
Statement of Copyright Transfer, Financial Disclosure, Use of AI, and Authorship Responsibility
DJVS will be publishing 4 issues per year (quarterly).
First decision | 2-5 Days
Review Process up to | 30 Days
Submission to acceptance and publishing | 30-90 Days
Email: djvs@uodiyala.edu.iq
Phone: 009647901254572
