Withdrawal Policy

The Scientific Vision Journal (SVJ) journal recognizes that there may be circumstances in which authors need to withdraw a manuscript from the publication process. This policy outlines the conditions and procedures under which manuscripts may be withdrawn and clarifies the responsibilities of authors, editors, and the journal itself.

Key Aspects of the Withdrawal Policy:

1. Withdrawal Before Submission:

   • Authors may withdraw their manuscript before submission (i.e., before it is formally submitted to the journal’s submission system).
   • No fees will be charged, and the manuscript will not be processed further.
   • Authors should notify the editorial team promptly to ensure the manuscript is removed from the submission system.

2. Withdrawal After Submission but Before Peer Review:

   • If a 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 should be sent to the editorial team, including the manuscript title, ID, and reason for withdrawal.
   • The manuscript will be removed from consideration, and no publication fees will be due.

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.
   • Authors must provide a valid reason for withdrawing the manuscript, and the manuscript will be withdrawn from the review process.
   • If significant editorial work has already been completed, authors may be responsible for partial charges related to the editorial and review process.
   • A formal written request should be sent to the editorial team, including the manuscript title, ID, and reason for withdrawal.

4. Withdrawal After Acceptance but Before Publication:

   • Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, the author is generally expected to continue with the publication process.
   • However, if the manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance but before publication, partial fees may apply if editorial work (e.g., peer review, copyediting) has already been completed.
   • A valid reason for the withdrawal must be provided by the author.
   • The manuscript will be withdrawn from the publication process, and the author will be notified of the decision.

5. Withdrawal After Publication:

   • Once a manuscript has been published, it cannot be withdrawn as it becomes part of the journal’s permanent, publicly accessible archive.
   • If an author wishes to remove their article due to ethical concerns, errors, or other significant reasons, the article will not be removed but will be retracted.
   • A retraction notice will be issued, explaining the reason for retraction. The retraction notice will be clearly linked to the original article, and the article will remain accessible with the retraction clearly indicated.
   • Authors will be notified if a retraction is necessary.

6. Refunds Upon Withdrawal:

   • If a manuscript is withdrawn before peer review, any publication fees paid will be refunded in full, minus any administrative charges that may apply.
   • If a manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance but before publication, partial refunds may be issued depending on the stage of the editorial work that has been completed. Fees for services such as peer review and copyediting 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 submit a formal written request to the editorial team via email. The request should include:
     • The manuscript title and ID.
     • The 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 does so without a valid reason (e.g., submitting the manuscript elsewhere while it is still under consideration at SVJ), the journal may flag the manuscript and restrict the author’s ability to submit future manuscripts to SVJ.
   • Authors are expected to act transparently and responsibly during the withdrawal process.

This policy ensures that the withdrawal process is transparent and fair to both authors and the journal. SVJ remains committed to supporting authors in their decision-making process, while maintaining the integrity and efficiency of its editorial operations.