Withdrawal of Manuscript

Qaulan: Jurnal Komunikasi dan Penyiaran Islam recognizes that, in certain circumstances, authors may need to withdraw a manuscript from the editorial and publication process. Manuscript withdrawal is permitted only for legitimate and reasonable reasons and must follow the procedures established by the journal.

The withdrawal policy is intended to protect the interests of authors, reviewers, editors, the journal, and the integrity of the scholarly publishing process.

1. GENERAL POLICY

Authors may request the withdrawal of a manuscript before it is formally published by submitting a written withdrawal request to the Editorial Team.

The withdrawal request must be submitted by the corresponding author and should include:

  • Manuscript title
  • Manuscript ID
  • Names of all authors
  • Corresponding author's name
  • Institutional affiliation
  • Reason for withdrawal
  • Confirmation that all authors agree to the withdrawal

The Editorial Team may request additional information or confirmation from the authors before approving the withdrawal.

2. ACCEPTABLE REASONS FOR WITHDRAWAL

A manuscript may be considered for withdrawal when there is a legitimate reason, including:

  • Serious errors in the manuscript that cannot reasonably be corrected through revision.
  • Significant problems with research data or methodology discovered after submission.
  • Ethical concerns affecting the research.
  • Failure to obtain required ethical approval or informed consent.
  • Discovery of substantial plagiarism or duplicate publication.
  • Accidental submission of an incorrect or incomplete manuscript.
  • Legitimate authorship or ownership disputes that require resolution before publication.
  • Legal or institutional concerns affecting the manuscript.
  • Other exceptional circumstances that may compromise the integrity of the publication.

The Editorial Team will assess each withdrawal request individually.

3. WITHDRAWAL DURING INITIAL SCREENING

If an author requests withdrawal while the manuscript is still undergoing initial editorial screening, the request may normally be processed without further review, provided that no significant editorial work has already been undertaken.

The Editorial Team will confirm the withdrawal through the journal's official communication channel.

4. WITHDRAWAL DURING PEER REVIEW

Authors may request withdrawal while a manuscript is under peer review.

However, withdrawal at this stage should be based on a legitimate reason. Authors should not withdraw a manuscript merely because:

  • They disagree with reviewer comments.
  • They anticipate rejection.
  • They do not agree with a requested revision.
  • They wish to submit the manuscript to another journal after receiving favorable reviewer feedback.
  • They wish to avoid responding to legitimate editorial or reviewer concerns.

Because peer review involves the time and academic contribution of reviewers and editors, unnecessary withdrawal after substantial review work has been completed is discouraged.

5. WITHDRAWAL AFTER REVISION

If a manuscript has already undergone one or more rounds of revision, a withdrawal request will be carefully evaluated by the Editorial Team.

The corresponding author may be required to provide a detailed explanation and confirmation that all co-authors agree with the withdrawal.

The journal reserves the right to decline a withdrawal request when there are unresolved ethical, authorship, or research-integrity concerns.

6. WITHDRAWAL DURING PRODUCTION

Once a manuscript has been formally accepted and has entered the copyediting, proofreading, layout, DOI, or production stage, withdrawal is strongly discouraged.

At this stage, substantial editorial and production resources may already have been invested.

A withdrawal request will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, such as:

  • Serious research-integrity concerns.
  • Major errors that fundamentally invalidate the manuscript.
  • Serious ethical problems.
  • Legal concerns.
  • Confirmed authorship disputes.
  • Other circumstances that may seriously affect the integrity of publication.

The Editorial Team will determine whether withdrawal is justified.

7. WITHDRAWAL AFTER PUBLICATION

Once an article has been formally published, it generally cannot be withdrawn as an ordinary manuscript withdrawal.

A published article forms part of the permanent scholarly record.

If serious problems are discovered after publication, the journal will instead follow its Retraction and Correction Policy.

Depending on the circumstances, the journal may publish:

  • A Correction
  • An Erratum
  • An Expression of Concern
  • A Retraction

The original article and its bibliographic record will normally remain in the scholarly record, with the appropriate status clearly indicated.

8. AUTHORSHIP AND CONSENT

Withdrawal requests must normally be submitted by the corresponding author.

The corresponding author is responsible for confirming that all co-authors have agreed to the withdrawal.

If there is disagreement among authors regarding withdrawal, the Editorial Team may:

  • Request written statements from the authors.
  • Suspend the withdrawal process.
  • Request institutional clarification.
  • Seek additional documentation.
  • Take appropriate action based on publication-ethics principles.

The journal does not determine legal ownership or authorship disputes; such matters may need to be resolved by the relevant institution or competent authority.

9. UNAUTHORIZED WITHDRAWAL

Authors must not withdraw a manuscript unilaterally when other listed authors have legitimate objections.

A withdrawal request made without the knowledge or consent of the other authors may be suspended until the authorship issue has been clarified.

The journal may request written confirmation from all authors when necessary.

10. WITHDRAWAL AND SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSION

Authors must not submit the same manuscript to another journal while it is under active consideration at Qaulan.

If authors wish to withdraw a manuscript because they intend to submit it elsewhere, they must first obtain formal confirmation of withdrawal from the Editorial Team.

Submitting the same manuscript simultaneously to multiple journals is considered a violation of publication ethics.

11. WITHDRAWAL FOR RESEARCH MISCONDUCT

If a manuscript is suspected of plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, duplicate publication, authorship manipulation, or other research misconduct, the Editorial Team may investigate the matter before approving a withdrawal request.

In such circumstances, authors may not use withdrawal simply to prevent an investigation into suspected misconduct.

The journal may continue the investigation and, where appropriate, notify the relevant institution or authority.

12. WITHDRAWAL REQUEST PROCEDURE

Authors who wish to withdraw a manuscript should follow these steps:

Step 1 — Submit a Formal Request

The corresponding author submits a written request to the Editorial Team.

Step 2 — Provide Manuscript Information

The request should include the manuscript title, manuscript ID, and complete author information.

Step 3 — Explain the Reason

The author should provide a clear and reasonable explanation for the withdrawal.

Step 4 — Confirm Author Agreement

The corresponding author should confirm that all authors have agreed to the withdrawal.

Step 5 — Editorial Assessment

The Editorial Team evaluates the request and considers the current stage of the manuscript.

Step 6 — Editorial Decision

The journal will communicate whether the withdrawal has been approved.

Step 7 — OJS Record

When appropriate, the manuscript status will be updated in the journal's online submission system.

13. WITHDRAWAL REQUEST FORMAT

Authors may use the following format:

Subject: Manuscript Withdrawal Request

Manuscript Title: [Title]
Manuscript ID: [ID]
Corresponding Author: [Name]
Affiliation: [Institution]
Email: [Email]

Reason for Withdrawal:
[Provide a clear explanation.]

Author Confirmation:
We confirm that all authors have agreed to withdraw this manuscript from consideration by Qaulan: Jurnal Komunikasi dan Penyiaran Islam.

Corresponding Author:
[Name and Signature, where applicable]

14. WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT LEGITIMATE REASON

The journal discourages withdrawal without a legitimate reason, particularly after the manuscript has undergone substantial peer-review or editorial work.

Examples of unacceptable reasons include:

  • The authors simply dislike the reviewer comments.
  • The authors receive a request for major revision.
  • The authors wish to submit the manuscript elsewhere without completing the withdrawal procedure.
  • The authors change their mind after receiving a favorable review.
  • The authors wish to avoid addressing methodological concerns.
  • The authors submit the manuscript to another journal simultaneously.

Such actions may be considered irresponsible use of the time and resources of the journal and its reviewers.

15. POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES

If an author withdraws a manuscript without a legitimate reason after substantial editorial or peer-review work has been completed, the journal may take appropriate measures, including:

  • Issuing a formal warning.
  • Recording the withdrawal in the editorial system.
  • Restricting submission of new manuscripts for a reasonable period.
  • Requiring additional clarification for future submissions.
  • Taking further action if the withdrawal is associated with publication misconduct.

Any action will be proportionate to the circumstances and seriousness of the case.

16. WITHDRAWAL FEES

Qaulan: Jurnal Komunikasi dan Penyiaran Islam does not charge a withdrawal fee unless a specific publication policy applicable to the journal explicitly states otherwise.

However, authors remain responsible for complying with the journal's publication and editorial policies.

If a manuscript has entered an advanced production stage, the Editorial Team may review the circumstances before approving withdrawal.

17. EDITORIAL RESPONSIBILITY

The Editorial Team is responsible for handling withdrawal requests fairly, consistently, and confidentially.

Editors will consider:

  • The reason for withdrawal.
  • The current stage of the manuscript.
  • The amount of editorial and peer-review work already completed.
  • The interests of all authors.
  • Potential research-integrity concerns.
  • The integrity of the journal's scholarly record.

The final decision regarding withdrawal rests with the Editor-in-Chief or authorized member of the Editorial Team.

18. CONFIDENTIALITY

Withdrawal requests and related communications will be treated confidentially.

Information concerning the withdrawal will only be shared with individuals who have a legitimate need to know, including relevant editors, editorial staff, or institutional representatives where necessary.

19. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Withdrawal procedures are implemented in accordance with the journal's commitment to:

  • Academic integrity
  • Research integrity
  • Transparency
  • Accountability
  • Fairness
  • Confidentiality
  • Editorial independence
  • Protection of the scholarly record

The journal may refer to recognized publication-ethics principles, including relevant Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidance, when handling complex withdrawal or misconduct cases.

20. WITHDRAWAL STATUS

When a withdrawal is approved before publication, the manuscript will normally be marked in the editorial system as:

WITHDRAWN

The manuscript will no longer proceed through the normal publication process.

If a published article requires action after publication, the journal will not normally use the ordinary withdrawal procedure. Instead, the appropriate Correction, Expression of Concern, or Retraction procedure will be applied.

21. SUMMARY OF WITHDRAWAL POLICY

Publication Stage Withdrawal
Initial Screening Generally permitted with legitimate request
Editorial Assessment May be permitted
Peer Review Permitted with legitimate justification
Revision Carefully assessed
Accepted Strongly discouraged
Copyediting Only exceptional circumstances
Proofreading Only exceptional circumstances
Production Only exceptional circumstances
Published Article Normally not withdrawn
Post-Publication Error Correction/Retraction procedure

22. FINAL POLICY STATEMENT

Qaulan: Jurnal Komunikasi dan Penyiaran Islam respects the rights of authors to request withdrawal when legitimate circumstances arise. At the same time, authors are expected to act responsibly and ethically throughout the editorial and peer-review process.

A manuscript should not be withdrawn merely to avoid legitimate peer-review criticism, editorial revision, or research-integrity investigation. Once a manuscript has been published, the integrity of the scholarly record takes priority, and any necessary action will be handled through the journal's Retraction and Correction Policy.

The journal is committed to ensuring that all withdrawal requests are handled fairly, transparently, confidentially, and consistently, while protecting the interests of authors, reviewers, editors, the publisher, and the wider academic community.