Manuscript Withdrawal

Journal: Jurnal Agrium (Journal of Agricultural Research)
Last updated: 25 October 2025
Contact: agrium@unimal.ac.id

1. Purpose and Scope

This policy governs requests to withdraw a manuscript from consideration before formal publication. It applies to all submissions handled by Jurnal Agrium, including research articles, reviews, short communications, and supplementary materials. Once an item is published, requests are handled under the Journal’s Correction and Retraction Policy.

2. Definitions

Author-initiated withdrawal: A request by the corresponding author, with consent from all co-authors, to remove the manuscript from editorial processing before publication.
Editorial withdrawal: An action initiated by the Journal to terminate processing of a submission prior to publication (e.g., ethical/legal risk, non-response, or policy violations).
Publication: Final online posting in an issue or continuous publication queue with citable metadata. Pre-publication includes screening, peer review, revisions, and production prior to public posting.

3. General Principles

Withdrawal is a serious action that should not be used to circumvent unfavorable reviews, prioritize another venue, or respond to time pressure.
The Journal supports transparent, ethical handling of the scholarly record and aims to minimize wasted editorial and reviewer effort.
Editorial independence is maintained: the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) makes final decisions following this policy.

4. When Withdrawal Is Allowed

Prior to peer review: Requests are generally permitted.
During peer review or revision: Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Strong reasons are required (e.g., verified ethical concerns, serious methodological flaws discovered by authors).
After acceptance, before publication: Requests are allowed only for compelling ethical, legal, or research-integrity reasons. Changing journal preference is not an acceptable reason.
After publication: This policy no longer applies; see the Correction and Retraction Policy.

5. Request and Evaluation Process

Submission of request. The corresponding author emails agrium@unimal.ac.id from the address on file, stating the manuscript title, submission ID, stage of processing, and a clear rationale. A statement confirming that all co-authors agree must be included.
Verification of consent. The Journal may contact co-authors and, where relevant, institutions or funders to verify agreement and clarify ethical issues.
Assessment. The editor evaluates the reasons, the stage reached, reviewer/editorial effort already invested, and any integrity risks (e.g., overlapping submissions).
Decision. The EIC (or delegate) decides to approve author-initiated withdrawal, proceed with editorial withdrawal, or decline the request. If matters suggest misconduct, the Journal may open an integrity inquiry.
Notification. The decision is communicated in writing. If approved, the manuscript status is updated in the system and all active reviewers are informed.

6. Outcomes and Records

Before peer review: The manuscript is withdrawn from consideration; no public record is created.
During peer review: The manuscript is withdrawn; the internal editorial record is retained for audit. Reviewers are notified that the review has concluded.
After acceptance (pre-publication): If withdrawal is approved, the Journal may create a non-citable “withdrawn manuscript” landing page (tombstone) noting the title, authors, and reason category (brief). No DOI is registered; if a DOI was pre-reserved, its metadata will indicate “withdrawn prior to publication.”
Indexing: No indexing is sent for withdrawn, unpublished items. Internal logs are preserved according to the retention schedule.

7. Multiple Submission, Plagiarism, and Misconduct

If a withdrawal request follows or reveals duplicate submission, plagiarism, fabricated/falsified data, undisclosed competing interests, or other serious breaches, the Journal may decline withdrawal and instead pursue an integrity investigation. Where appropriate, institutions and funders may be notified. Outcomes can include editorial withdrawal with sanctions (see Section 8).

8. Sanctions and Restrictions

Submission moratorium: When withdrawal is requested for non-ethical reasons after substantial editorial/reviewer investment, the Journal may impose a limited submission ban (e.g., up to 12 months) on the corresponding author and, where warranted, the author group.
Administrative requirements: Authors may be asked to certify in writing that the manuscript is not under consideration elsewhere and that co-authors consent to the withdrawal.
Fees: The Journal does not charge withdrawal fees by default. If administrative costs must be recovered in exceptional cases, this will be communicated transparently before processing.

9. Data Retention and Confidentiality

The Journal retains correspondence and decision records related to withdrawal in accordance with its retention policy. Reviewer identities and reports remain confidential. Information is shared only as necessary to fulfill editorial and integrity obligations or as required by law.

10. Appeals

Authors may appeal a withdrawal decision by writing to the Editor-in-Chief with a reasoned explanation and any new evidence. An editor not previously involved (or an independent advisor) will review the appeal. The Journal’s final decision is communicated in writing.