Frontiers in Agriculture is committed to maintaining high standards of academic integrity and ethical publishing practices. Authors submitting manuscripts to the journal are expected to adhere to these standards. The following Withdrawal Policy outlines the circumstances under which an article can be withdrawn from the journal during the submission and publication process.
Before Peer Review: Authors may withdraw their manuscript at any time before the peer review process begins without any penalty. To request a withdrawal, authors should contact the editorial team via email or through the journal’s submission system, providing the manuscript ID and a brief reason for the withdrawal.
After Peer Review but Before Final Decision: If a manuscript has undergone peer review and the decision is still pending (e.g., revisions are required), authors can request a withdrawal. The withdrawal request should be made as soon as possible, and a valid reason for the withdrawal must be provided. If the manuscript has already been reviewed and revisions are in progress, the editorial team will assess the request based on the status of the review process.
Post-Acceptance but Before Publication: Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication but has not yet been published online or in a print issue, the author may request withdrawal. Authors must notify the editorial team in writing, providing a clear explanation for the withdrawal. The request will be reviewed, and if the article has not yet entered the production process, it may be withdrawn with no further consequences. If the article has entered production, the author may be required to cover any incurred costs.
After Publication: Withdrawal of a manuscript after it has been published online or in a print issue is generally not allowed, as the article is now part of the permanent academic record. However, in exceptional cases, where there are serious ethical concerns such as plagiarism, data manipulation, or ethical violations, the journal may consider retraction (see Retraction Policy).
Common reasons for withdrawing a manuscript may include but are not limited to:
The editorial team reserves the right to reject a withdrawal request if it is deemed to be in violation of the journal’s ethical guidelines, including but not limited to cases of suspected misconduct.
Step 1: Notification: Authors must submit a formal request to withdraw the manuscript through the journal’s submission system or via email. The request must include the manuscript ID and a brief reason for the withdrawal.
Step 2: Confirmation: Upon receiving the withdrawal request, the editorial office will acknowledge receipt and confirm whether the manuscript can be withdrawn based on its current stage in the review or publication process.
Step 3: Completion: If the manuscript can be withdrawn, the author will receive formal confirmation from the editorial team. If the manuscript has already been accepted or published, the request may be denied unless the circumstances are exceptional.
No Penalty for Early Withdrawal: If a manuscript is withdrawn before the peer review process or before final acceptance, no penalty will be applied. However, repeated withdrawals or withdrawals for unjustified reasons may be noted in the author’s record.
Penalties for Withdrawal After Acceptance: If an author withdraws their manuscript after it has been accepted for publication but before it is published, the editorial team may apply a nominal administrative fee to cover the costs incurred during the review and production process.
Withdrawal to Avoid Ethical Scrutiny: If an article is withdrawn to avoid ethical review (e.g., after discovery of research misconduct), the editorial team reserves the right to report this action to relevant authorities, such as the author’s institution or funding bodies.
Duplicate Submissions: If a manuscript is withdrawn due to simultaneous submission elsewhere, the journal may notify the other journal and/or academic community if necessary.
Frontiers in Agriculture reserves the right to modify or update this Withdrawal Policy as needed. Any significant changes will be communicated to authors, editors, and reviewers.
