Manuscript Appeal Policy

 
 
 
Editorial Policy

Manuscript Appeal Policy

Physical Therapy Journal of Indonesia (PTJI) is committed to a fair, transparent, and impartial editorial process. Authors have the right to appeal rejection decisions under specific, well-defined circumstances.

14 Days to File
10 Days Initial Review
30 Days Final Decision
COPE Compliant

1. Policy Statement

The Physical Therapy Journal of Indonesia (PTJI) is dedicated to offering an open, impartial, and prompt editorial process. While the Editor-in-Chief's (EiC) decision is typically final, PTJI acknowledges the author's ability to appeal judgments pertaining to manuscript rejection or significant publishing ethics violations. All appeals are handled in strict accordance with the principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and are treated with the utmost confidentiality.

2. Appeal Scope

This policy applies to appeals filed by the corresponding author only. Two categories of appeal are recognized:

 
Section 2.1
Rejection Appeal

An author may file an appeal of a rejection only if they believe the review process contained a fundamental defect or inaccuracy, specifically one of the following grounds:

Bias Evidence

Demonstrable evidence that the editor or reviewers exhibited personal, professional, or financial bias in their evaluation.

Procedural Error

A major disregard for the journal's declared peer review procedure or a material misinterpretation of the conflict-of-interest policy.

Scientific Misunderstanding

Verifiable proof that the manuscript's scientific substance, methods, or results were fundamentally misinterpreted, and that the misinterpretation was the direct cause of rejection.

Note: Appeals based solely on disagreement with the subjective evaluation of originality, significance, or scope are generally not considered valid grounds.

 
Section 2.2
Ethical / Editorial Misconduct Appeal

The PTJI Ethics Committee shall follow COPE Principles in handling appeals pertaining to alleged ethical violations against a published article or an Editorial Board member.

Covered allegations include:

 

Plagiarism claims against a published work

 

Authorship disputes (gift, ghost, or honorary authorship)

 

Undeclared conflicts of interest (financial or personal)

 

Editorial Board member misconduct or bias

 

Data fabrication or falsification allegations

COPE Guidance: Ethics appeals are handled independently from rejection appeals and may result in an Expression of Concern, correction, or retraction per COPE flowcharts.

3. Filing an Appeal

 
3.1 Deadline for Filing

Appeals must be submitted within 14 calendar days of receiving the final rejection decision. Appeals filed after this deadline will not be considered under any circumstances.

3.2 How to Submit Your Appeal

Send by Email to:
editorptji@gmail.com
Required Subject Line:
"Formal Appeal: [Manuscript Number/DOI] — [Manuscript Title]"

3.3 Required Documents Checklist

1

A thorough point-by-point response addressing every objection cited in the rejection letter

2

Clear statement of the grounds for appeal: Bias, Procedural Error, or Scientific Misunderstanding

3

Supporting evidence (e.g., screenshots, email logs, comparison of reviewer reports) substantiating the allegation

4

Revised manuscript (if applicable), with tracked changes showing how scientific concerns have been addressed

4. Appeal Review Process

1
 
Step 4.1
Initial Assessment — Editorial Office
Within 10 business days

The Editor-in-Chief evaluates the appeal document to determine whether it satisfies the requirements in Sections 2 and 3.2.

If requirements NOT met

Appeal is promptly dismissed. The first rejection ruling is maintained.

If requirements ARE met

Appeal advances to the Appeals Committee for formal review.

2
 
Step 4.2
Appeals Committee Review
Independent Panel

An ad hoc Appeals Committee of 2–3 Editorial Board members — none of whom were involved in the original review or decision — is appointed by the EiC.

The Committee reviews:

 

The original manuscript

 

All reviewer reports

 

The initial rejection decision and rationale

 

The author's detailed appeal letter and supporting evidence

3
Step 4.3
Final Decision — Editor-in-Chief
Within 30 business days (total)

The EiC receives a recommendation from the Appeals Committee and issues one of the following final outcomes. The author is notified within 30 business days of the date the appeal was duly filed.

 
Appeal Upheld

The initial rejection is withdrawn. The manuscript will either be accepted pending final edits, or re-enter a revamped peer review process with new, independent reviewers.

 
Appeal Rejected

The initial rejection ruling is maintained. This ruling is final. PTJI will not entertain further appeals regarding the same manuscript.

Important: The EiC's final decision is binding. Submission of the same manuscript to PTJI after a rejected appeal is not permitted. Authors may submit a substantially revised new work as a fresh submission.

5. Grounds Not Accepted for Appeal

PTJI will decline appeals that are based solely on the following, as these do not constitute a fundamental flaw in the editorial process:

 

Disagreement with the scope or significance judgment of reviewers

 

Disagreement with the originality or novelty assessment

 

Provision of new data or experiments not in the original submission

 

Appeals filed after the 14-day deadline has passed

 

Re-appeal of a manuscript already reviewed by the Appeals Committee

 

Appeals submitted by co-authors (only the corresponding author may file)

6. Confidentiality and Integrity

 
Strict Confidentiality

All appeal documents, reviewer identities, and deliberations of the Appeals Committee are treated with the utmost confidentiality throughout the process.

 
Conflict-of-Interest Exclusion

No member who handled the original submission or has a personal or professional relationship with the authors may serve on the Appeals Committee.

 
Records Retention

All appeal records, correspondence, and committee decisions are retained securely by the Editorial Office for a minimum of 5 years from the date of final decision.

 
No Retaliation

Filing a good-faith appeal will not disadvantage authors in future submissions. Frivolous or bad-faith appeals, however, may be noted in the author's file.

Questions About Appeals?

For general inquiries about this policy or to track the status of a submitted appeal, contact the PTJI Editorial Office:

Regulatory Compliance

COPE Principles
ICMJE Recommendations
Double-Blind Peer Review
WAME Editorial Standards
Open Access (CC BY 4.0)