Withdrawal Policy

The Social Trends and Policy Review (STPR) understands that authors may, in rare cases, need to withdraw a manuscript after submission. However, because peer review and publication involve significant time, effort, and resources from editors, reviewers, and publishing staff, manuscript withdrawals are managed under strict guidelines to ensure the integrity of scholarly publishing.

1. Acceptable Reasons for Withdrawal

Manuscript withdrawal will be considered legitimate only under the following circumstances:

  • Discovery of critical errors or flaws in the research that cannot be corrected.

  • Duplicate submission made inadvertently to multiple journals (must be disclosed immediately).

  • Emergence of ethical concerns or new evidence that invalidates the study.

  • Author incapacity or unforeseen circumstances preventing completion of the process.

2. Withdrawal Stages and Conditions

a) Before Peer Review:

  • Authors may withdraw their manuscript by submitting a formal written request to the editorial office.

  • No penalties will apply if withdrawal occurs before the manuscript is sent to reviewers.

b) During Peer Review:

  • Withdrawal is discouraged, as reviewers have already invested time in the evaluation process.

  • A valid reason must be provided in writing, and approval is at the discretion of the editorial board.

c) After Acceptance but Before Publication:

  • Withdrawal is permitted only under exceptional circumstances, such as the discovery of significant errors or ethical violations.

  • A signed withdrawal statement from all co-authors must be submitted.

  • The editorial board will assess the justification before granting approval.

d) After Publication:

  • Articles cannot be withdrawn after publication.

  • If errors or ethical issues are identified post-publication, the journal will instead follow its Retraction Policy to correct the academic record.

3. Unethical Withdrawal

An unethical withdrawal occurs when authors request withdrawal without sufficient justification—often to submit the same manuscript to another journal. In such cases, STPR reserves the right to:

  • Impose a minimum two-year submission ban on the corresponding author and all co-authors.

  • Notify the authors’ affiliated institutions, funding agencies, or relevant authorities.

4. Withdrawal Procedure

To request a withdrawal, the corresponding author must:

  1. Send an official email to the editorial office with “Withdrawal Request – [Manuscript ID]” in the subject line.

  2. Provide the manuscript title, all authors’ names, and the reason for withdrawal.

  3. Attach a signed withdrawal statement from all listed authors.

5. Editorial Decision

  • The editorial office will review the request and respond within 7–10 business days.

  • If approved, the manuscript will be removed from the editorial workflow, and confirmation will be sent to the authors.

  • If denied, the manuscript will proceed through the normal review or publication process.