Withdrawal Policy

Introduction
The Ma-Hasal Journal is dedicated to maintaining the integrity and quality of academic publishing. This Withdrawal Policy outlines the conditions and procedures under which an author may withdraw a submitted manuscript or a published article may be retracted. Withdrawal requests are treated seriously and are only considered under legitimate and compelling circumstances.

1. Manuscript Withdrawal Before Peer Review

  • Authors may withdraw their manuscript before the peer review process begins without any penalties.
  • A withdrawal request must be sent to the editorial office via email, clearly stating the reason for the withdrawal.
  • The editorial team will acknowledge the request within 5 business days.

2. Manuscript Withdrawal During or After Peer Review

  • If a manuscript is under review or revisions are in progress, the authors must provide a valid reason for withdrawal, such as:
    • Submission to another journal by mistake.
    • Discovery of significant errors in the manuscript that compromise its validity.
    • Ethical issues, such as accidental dual submission.
  • Withdrawal during this stage is subject to editorial approval, and authors may be required to reimburse any costs incurred by the journal during the review process.

3. Post-Acceptance Withdrawal

  • Withdrawal after the manuscript has been accepted for publication is discouraged as it disrupts the publication process.
  • If authors wish to withdraw after acceptance, they must submit a detailed explanation and may be subject to a withdrawal fee to cover administrative costs.
  • The journal reserves the right to reject withdrawal requests at this stage unless justified by exceptional circumstances, such as:
    • Errors that compromise the research’s integrity.
    • Legal or ethical disputes.

4. Withdrawal of Published Articles (Retraction Policy)

  • Published articles are not withdrawn unless there is clear evidence of:
    • Research misconduct, including plagiarism, fabrication, or falsification of data.
    • Ethical violations, such as failure to obtain required permissions or approvals.
    • Errors or inaccuracies that significantly affect the study’s findings.
  • Retraction requests can be initiated by the authors, the editorial board, or readers.

Retraction Procedure:

  1. A formal investigation is conducted by the editorial board, involving reviewers, authors, and, if necessary, external experts.
  2. If retraction is justified, the article will be marked as "Retracted" with a detailed explanation published alongside the original article.
  3. The retracted article will remain on the journal’s website but will be clearly labeled to prevent misuse of the content.

5. Consequences of Improper Withdrawal

  • Authors who attempt to withdraw manuscripts without a valid reason or violate ethical guidelines may face:
    • Blacklisting from future submissions to the Ma-Hasal Journal.
    • Notification to the authors’ affiliated institutions or funding agencies.
    • Reimbursement of processing fees incurred by the journal.

6. Withdrawal Fees

  • Withdrawal fees are applicable under the following circumstances:
    • Withdrawal during or after the peer review process without valid justification.
    • Withdrawal after acceptance for publication.
  • The fee structure will be communicated to the authors during the withdrawal request review.

7. Appeal Process

  • Authors have the right to appeal withdrawal decisions by submitting a formal request to the editorial board.
  • Appeals must include supporting evidence or documentation to justify the withdrawal request.
  • The editorial board's decision on appeals is final and binding.

8. Policy Updates

  • The Withdrawal Policy is reviewed periodically to ensure compliance with best practices in academic publishing.
  • Authors will be notified of any changes to the policy through the journal’s website or email communications.

Conclusion
The Ma-Hasal Journal’s Withdrawal Policy is designed to safeguard the integrity of the publication process while accommodating legitimate withdrawal requests. Authors are encouraged to carefully consider their decision before submitting a withdrawal request and to adhere to the guidelines outlined in this policy.