Withdrawal Policy

The Journal of Biosciences and Innovations (JBI) maintains a clear and fair withdrawal policy for authors who wish to withdraw their manuscript at any stage of the publication process. The policy is designed to ensure transparency and fairness for both authors and the journal.

Key Elements of the Withdrawal Policy:

1. Withdrawal Before Submission:

   • Authors are free to withdraw their manuscript at any point before the formal submission process is complete (i.e., before the manuscript has been assigned to reviewers). There is no fee or penalty for withdrawing a manuscript at this stage.
   • Authors must notify the editorial team promptly via email if they wish to withdraw their manuscript. A confirmation of withdrawal will be sent once the request has been processed.

2. Withdrawal During the Peer Review Process:

   • Once a manuscript has been submitted for peer review, authors may still request to withdraw it. However, they are required to provide a valid reason for withdrawal. The manuscript withdrawal request should be sent to the editorial office as soon as the decision is made.
   • If the manuscript has already been sent to reviewers, the authors will be required to provide a brief explanation for the withdrawal. The journal will process the withdrawal and cease the peer review process upon receipt of the request.
   • Withdrawal requests during the peer review process may still incur administrative costs, as the peer review work (e.g., reviewer fees, editorial time) may have already been initiated.

3. Withdrawal After Acceptance:

   • Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, withdrawal is only possible in exceptional circumstances (e.g., significant personal reasons, ethical concerns). Authors must submit a formal withdrawal request in writing, stating the reasons for their decision.
   • If the manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance but before publication, the authors may not be entitled to a refund of the publication fee, as work on the manuscript (e.g., formatting, final edits) may already be in progress.
   • If the manuscript has already been published online or in print, it will be considered a retraction rather than a simple withdrawal. The authors are responsible for informing the editorial team about the withdrawal, and a retraction notice will be issued.

4. Reason for Withdrawal:

   • Authors are encouraged to provide a clear reason for withdrawing their manuscript, especially if the withdrawal is related to scientific, ethical, or personal concerns. While reasons are not always mandatory, providing an explanation helps the editorial team to improve its processes and better understand the author’s decision.
   • If a manuscript is withdrawn due to ethical violations, such as issues with plagiarism, misconduct, or duplicate publication, the journal may inform relevant institutions or organizations about the withdrawal.

5. Manuscript Withdrawal Fee:

   • There are typically no withdrawal fees for manuscripts withdrawn before the peer review process or after submission but before acceptance. However, authors may be required to pay an administrative fee if the withdrawal happens during or after the peer review stage, especially if the review process has already begun.

6. Impact of Withdrawal:

   • A withdrawn manuscript will not be considered for publication, and it will be removed from the journal's submission system. Any work completed on the manuscript up until the withdrawal stage will not be considered in future submissions unless resubmitted with significant revisions.

7. Submission After Withdrawal:

   • Authors who withdraw their manuscript may submit it to another journal or resubmit it to JBI at a later time, provided that the manuscript complies with the journal's submission guidelines and the previous version has not been published elsewhere.

8. Editorial Responsibility:

   • The editorial team will handle withdrawal requests promptly and ensure that the manuscript is removed from the journal’s records. In cases of manuscripts withdrawn after the peer review process, the editorial team will make a record of the withdrawal to ensure no further processing or publication occurs.