Complaints and Appeals Procedure

Complaints and appeals are sent to the Editor-in-Chief at admin@arteducation.pro or v.v.fomin@hnpu.edu.ua. The editors acknowledge receipt within 7 days.

1. Appeals against editorial decisions

An author who disagrees with a decision on a manuscript may submit an appeal within 14 days, with reasoned responses to the reviewers’ comments. The appeal is considered by the Editor-in-Chief together with an editorial board member who was not involved in the original decision; if necessary, the manuscript is sent to a new reviewer. If the complaint concerns a decision of the Editor-in-Chief, it is considered by two editorial board members who were not involved in the decision. The decision on the appeal is final.

2. Complaints about violations of academic integrity and publication ethics

Submission and preliminary assessment. Reports of possible misconduct (plagiarism, data fabrication, authorship manipulation, unethical use of AI, etc.) may come from authors, reviewers, readers or institutions. A complaint should contain specific evidence (sources of borrowed text, analysis of data inconsistencies, etc.). Anonymous complaints are considered if they contain sufficient verifiable evidence.

Investigation. The Editor-in-Chief initiates an investigation, sets up a working group and/or engages independent experts and, if necessary, representatives of the Academic Integrity Support Group of H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University. The person concerned is notified and has 14 calendar days to provide a written explanation. The editors may request original research data, file revision history or, where undisclosed AI use is suspected, a list of prompts. In complex cases, the editors contact the academic integrity commission of the author’s institution. The editors follow the COPE flowcharts.

Decision. Based on the investigation, the editorial board takes one of the following decisions:

• dismiss the complaint for lack of evidence;
• publish a correction (Erratum / Corrigendum) for honest errors;
• publish an Expression of Concern if the investigation is inconclusive but concerns remain significant;
• retract the article if serious misconduct is confirmed (see Article Retraction Procedure).

Confidentiality. The editors keep the identities of the complainant and the person concerned confidential until a final decision is made. All parties must refrain from public accusations and from putting pressure on editorial board members.

Appeal. A party who disagrees with the decision may appeal within 14 days, presenting new substantial evidence. The editorial board’s decision on re-examination is final.