Complaints and Appeals

Editorial Policies

The Journal of Rural and Tropical Nursing (JRTN) is committed to handling complaints and appeals fairly, consistently, and in a timely manner. This page explains how to submit a complaint or appeal and what to expect from the process.

Appeals Against Rejection Decisions

Authors may appeal a rejection decision if they believe the decision was based on a factual error, a significant misunderstanding of the manuscript, or a procedural irregularity. Appeals based solely on disagreement with the reviewers' or editor's scientific judgement are not considered.

How to appeal Submit a written appeal to the editorial office at editorial@pekamerawatnegeri.com within 30 days of receiving the rejection decision. The appeal must state clearly the grounds for appeal and provide a point-by-point response to the specific issues that are being contested.
What happens next The Editor-in-Chief will assess the appeal. Where appropriate, the manuscript may be sent to a new reviewer. The Editor-in-Chief's decision on the appeal is final.
Timeline JRTN aims to provide an initial response to appeals within 30 days of receipt. Complex cases may take longer; the editorial office will provide an update if a decision is delayed.
Resubmitting a rejected manuscript without an invitation to resubmit, or without addressing the reasons for rejection, does not constitute an appeal.

Complaints

Complaints about any aspect of JRTN's editorial process, policies, or conduct of editors and reviewers are taken seriously.

Step 1 — Contact the editorial office In the first instance, submit a written complaint to the editorial office at editorial@pekamerawatnegeri.com. Describe the nature of the complaint clearly and include any relevant manuscript ID or correspondence.
Step 2 — Escalation to the publisher If the complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction by the editorial office, it may be escalated to the publisher: Universitas Pekamera Negeri, Makassar, Indonesia.
Step 3 — COPE If the matter is not resolved after escalation to the publisher, it may be referred to the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) for guidance in accordance with COPE procedures.

Complaints About Reviewer or Editor Conduct

If you have concerns about the conduct of a reviewer or editor — including misappropriation of ideas, breach of confidentiality, or bias — please submit a written complaint to the editorial office with as much specific detail as possible. All such complaints are treated as confidential and investigated in accordance with COPE guidelines.