Complaints & Appeals Process

Authors or readers with complaints about editorial conduct or publication ethics can contact the journal at a dedicated email (e.g. editor@celtjournals.com). The Complaints and Appeals page will outline the steps:

• Complaints (e.g. about reviewer anonymity, editorial misconduct) will be logged and acknowledged within 5 business days. A senior editor will investigate, responding to the complainant and, if needed, informing COPE or an ethics board if unresolved internally.
• Appeals against editorial decisions must be made in writing, stating new evidence or compelling arguments. Only one appeal per decision is allowed. The appeal is reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief or an independent committee, and the outcome (uphold or reverse) is final. The process and timeline (e.g. 4 weeks for an appeal) will be documented.

These procedures reflect COPE’s advice that journals have a clear process for complaints and appeals and Elsevier’s practice of limited formal appeals.