Complaints and appeals procedure

The procedure for complaints, reports, or appeals before Ecos de la Academia will begin through a formal communication addressed to the Editorial Board via smguevara@utn.edu.ec. The communication must include the identification of the person submitting the request, the manuscript or article title, submission code where available, a clear description of the case, grounds for the complaint or appeal, and supporting documentation, where applicable.

The Editor-in-Chief or the Editorial Board will acknowledge receipt of the communication by email and conduct a preliminary assessment of the case. This review will determine whether the request should be dismissed for lack of grounds, require additional information, or lead to an editorial investigation.

For the handling of complaints, reports, appeals, or possible editorial misconduct, the journal will take as reference the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) , as well as its own editorial and ethical policies.

If an investigation is initiated, the Editorial Board may appoint an editor responsible for the case, request additional information from the parties involved, consult reviewers, section editors, members of the scientific committee, or relevant institutional bodies, and collect the documentation necessary to resolve the procedure.

In all cases where a complaint, report, or appeal directly involves authors, reviewers, or editors, the journal will seek to guarantee the right to submit clarifications, responses, or supplementary information, while preserving confidentiality, impartiality, and traceability of the process.

The Editorial Board may resolve the case by dismissing the request, requesting further information, correcting the procedure, confirming an editorial decision, modifying a previous decision, issuing an editorial notice, correction, expression of concern, retraction, or another measure proportional to the nature and seriousness of the case.

When an ethical, editorial, or academic breach is confirmed, the decision may be communicated to the parties involved and, where appropriate, to the affiliation institution of the person concerned, respecting confidentiality, proportionality, due process, and applicable regulations.

If the complaint, report, or appeal affects an already published article, Ecos de la Academia may publish a correction, expression of concern, or retraction notice, as appropriate. Every editorial notice will be electronically linked to the original article to ensure transparency for readers, authors, reviewers, and academic institutions.