Withdrawal of Manuscript

BHINNEKA: Intercultural Counseling Insights recognizes that authors may have legitimate reasons to withdraw submitted manuscripts at various stages of the publication process. This policy establishes clear guidelines and procedures for manuscript withdrawal while protecting the integrity of the peer review process and ensuring fair treatment of all stakeholders.

1. DEFINITION AND SCOPE

Manuscript Withdrawal

Manuscript withdrawal refers to the formal request by the corresponding author to remove a submitted manuscript from consideration at BHINNEKA before it has been officially accepted for publication.

Applicable Stages

This policy applies to manuscripts at all stages of the submission process:

  • After initial submission but before peer review assignment

  • During peer review process

  • After peer review but before editorial decision

  • After conditional acceptance but before formal acceptance

  • After acceptance but before publication (pre-publication withdrawal)

2. VALID GROUNDS FOR WITHDRAWAL

Acceptable Reasons for Withdrawal

Authors may request withdrawal for legitimate reasons including but not limited to:

  1. Academic/Professional Reasons:

    • Discovery of significant errors in the study that invalidate findings

    • Identification of critical methodological flaws

    • Realization of insufficient data or sample size

    • Need for additional validation or experimentation

  2. Ethical/Legal Reasons:

    • Discovery of unintentional plagiarism or copyright infringement

    • Concerns about research ethics or participant consent

    • Legal or institutional restrictions

    • Identification of undisclosed conflicts of interest

  3. Administrative/Logistical Reasons:

    • Simultaneous submission detected (must withdraw from one journal)

    • Change in author team or institutional affiliation requiring resubmission

    • Funding or project timeline changes

  4. Personal Reasons:

    • Significant changes in authors' circumstances

    • Disagreements among authors requiring reconsideration

Unacceptable Reasons for Withdrawal

Withdrawal requests may be denied for:

  • Attempting to submit to another journal while under review at BHINNEKA

  • Unfounded concerns about peer review comments

  • Disagreement with reviewer feedback without substantive justification

  • Pressure from external parties without academic merit

3. WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURES

Formal Withdrawal Request

All withdrawal requests must be submitted by the corresponding author and include:

  1. Required Information:

    • Manuscript ID number

    • Manuscript title

    • All author names

    • Clear statement of reason for withdrawal

    • Confirmation that all authors agree to the withdrawal

    • Signed withdrawal request form (provided by editorial office)

  2. Submission Method:

    • Official withdrawal request through submission system

    • Email to editorial office with subject: "WITHDRAWAL REQUEST - MS ID [Number]"

    • Written letter on institutional letterhead for complex cases

Processing Timeline

  • Acknowledgement: Editorial office acknowledges receipt within 3 business days

  • Review Period: Editorial decision on withdrawal request within 10 business days

  • Completion: Formal withdrawal completion within 15 business days

4. STAGE-SPECIFIC POLICIES

A. Pre-Review Withdrawal

(Before peer reviewers are assigned)

  • Process: Immediate withdrawal upon request

  • Requirements: Formal request from corresponding author

  • Consequences: No penalties; manuscript may be resubmitted after 6 months if significantly revised

B. During Peer Review Withdrawal

(After reviewers are assigned but before recommendations)

  • Process: Withdrawal granted if justified; reviewers notified

  • Requirements: Compelling reason must be provided

  • Consequences:

    • Authors may be restricted from submitting new manuscripts for 6 months

    • Review efforts are wasted; consider ethical implications

C. Post-Review Withdrawal

(After reviews completed but before decision)

  • Process: Withdrawal evaluated by Editor-in-Chief

  • Requirements: Substantial justification required

  • Consequences:

    • Strong discouragement; waste of reviewer and editor time

    • Possible temporary submission restriction (6-12 months)

D. Post-Acceptance Withdrawal

(After acceptance but before publication)

  • Process: Exceptional cases only; requires Editor-in-Chief approval

  • Requirements: Extraordinary circumstances must be demonstrated

  • Consequences:

    • Publication fee may apply to cover processing costs

    • Possible temporary submission restriction (12-24 months)

    • Formal notice may be published if substantial resources were expended

5. AUTHOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONSEQUENCES

Author Obligations

Authors requesting withdrawal must:

  1. Obtain unanimous agreement from all co-authors

  2. Provide honest and complete justification

  3. Respond promptly to editorial inquiries

  4. Complete all required withdrawal documentation

  5. Acknowledge wasted resources if applicable

Consequences of Unethical Withdrawal

In cases of unethical withdrawal practices:

  1. Blacklisting: Authors may be barred from future submissions

  2. Institutional Notification: Home institutions may be informed

  3. Database Notification: Indexing services may be notified

  4. Publication of Notice: Withdrawal notice may be published

Appeals Process

Authors may appeal withdrawal decisions:

  1. First Appeal: To Editor-in-Chief with additional documentation

  2. Second Appeal: To Editorial Board with full case presentation

  3. Final Appeal: External mediation may be considered

6. EDITORIAL OFFICE RESPONSIBILITIES

Processing Requirements

The editorial office will:

  1. Maintain detailed records of all withdrawal requests

  2. Ensure consistent application of withdrawal policy

  3. Protect confidentiality of withdrawal reasons when appropriate

  4. Provide clear communication to authors throughout the process

  5. Update manuscript status in all tracking systems

Record Keeping

  • All withdrawal requests archived for 5 years

  • Records include reason, date, and decision

  • Anonymous statistics reported annually

7. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Author Disputes

If authors disagree about withdrawal:

  1. Editorial office requires unanimous agreement

  2. Majority requests are insufficient

  3. Case may be escalated to authors' institutions

  4. Manuscript may be suspended until resolution

Ethical Concerns Discovered

If ethical issues emerge during review:

  1. Review process may continue despite withdrawal request

  2. Concerns may be reported to appropriate authorities

  3. Withdrawal may be denied to allow ethical investigation

Multiple Withdrawals

Authors with multiple withdrawal requests:

  1. Pattern will be reviewed by Editorial Board

  2. May face longer submission restrictions

  3. May require pre-submission consultation

8. REINSTATEMENT AND RESUBMISSION

Reinstatement Requests

Previously withdrawn manuscripts may be reinstated if:

  1. Requested within 30 days of withdrawal

  2. Original reason for withdrawal resolved

  3. All authors confirm agreement

  4. No substantial changes to manuscript required

Resubmission Guidelines

Withdrawn manuscripts may be resubmitted as new submissions if:

  1. At least 6 months have passed since withdrawal

  2. Manuscript contains substantial new content (>50% new material)

  3. Original withdrawal was for valid academic reasons

  4. Previous withdrawal is disclosed in cover letter

9. PREVENTION AND ALTERNATIVES

Before Submission

Authors should:

  1. Ensure manuscript readiness before submission

  2. Obtain all necessary author approvals

  3. Confirm institutional and funding requirements

  4. Complete all ethical clearances

Alternatives to Withdrawal

Instead of withdrawal, consider:

  1. Requesting extension for revision

  2. Modifying authorship if disputes arise

  3. Correcting errors through revision

  4. Consulting with editor about concerns

10. TRANSPARENCY AND REPORTING

Public Transparency

  • Withdrawal statistics published annually

  • Policy publicly available on journal website

  • Clear communication to all stakeholders

Confidentiality

  • Specific withdrawal reasons kept confidential unless unethical behavior involved

  • Aggregate data used for process improvement

  • Individual cases not discussed publicly

CONTACT AND FORMS

For withdrawal requests or inquiries:

Editorial Office, BHINNEKA: Intercultural Counseling Insights
Email: [Insert editorial contact email]
Subject Line: "WITHDRAWAL REQUEST - [Manuscript ID]"

Required Forms:

  1. Withdrawal Request Form (available on journal website)

  2. Author Agreement Form (for multi-author papers)

  3. Institutional Approval Form (if required)

This policy ensures fair and ethical handling of manuscript withdrawals while protecting the integrity of BHINNEKA's scholarly review process. We encourage authors to consider their submission commitments carefully and use the withdrawal process responsibly.