Withdrawal Policy

1) Purpose and scope

This policy applies to all manuscripts submitted to CJNCP, including original research, systematic reviews, quality-improvement (QI) reports, educational interventions, case reports/series, methods papers, commentaries, and protocols. It covers author-initiated withdrawal requests prior to publication. Post-publication issues (e.g., corrections, retractions) are addressed under our Publication Ethics Policy and Record Correction procedures.

Withdrawal by the journal (editorial withdrawal) for ethical, legal, or policy reasons follows a different process; see Section 8 below.

2) Definitions

  • Withdrawal: Removal of a manuscript from CJNCP’s editorial workflow before publication of the version of record.
  • Rejection: Editorial decision not to proceed with publication; no author request required.
  • Retraction: Post-publication notice declaring the article unreliable or ethically noncompliant; governed by our Publication Ethics Policy.
  • Administrative fee: A cost reflecting resources already expended (screening, coordination, plagiarism checks, peer reviewer time, typesetting, etc.).
  • Processing stage: The farthest step completed in the editorial workflow at the time CJNCP receives a formal withdrawal request.

3) Acceptable reasons for withdrawal

We consider withdrawal reasonable when authors act in good faith and provide a concise explanation. Examples include:

  • Major methodological flaw or error discovered after submission that undermines the conclusions.
  • Ethical concerns regarding approvals, consent, privacy, or community engagement that require remediation before public dissemination.
  • Duplicative submission identified (e.g., a co-author submitted the same or very similar paper elsewhere) and the team wishes to correct the error promptly.
  • Institutional policy conflicts or funder mandates revealed post-submission requiring substantial changes to methods or reporting.
  • Author unavailability due to serious illness, unforeseen caregiving responsibilities, or disaster events that prevent timely revision.

Discouraged reasons

Withdrawal solely due to unfavorable peer-review feedback (“reviewer shopping”), to submit to a higher impact venue while under active review, or to avoid addressing ethical queries is discouraged and may incur sanctions (see Section 9).

4) How to request withdrawal

Steps for authors

  1. Initiate in writing: The corresponding author emails the editorial office from the address on file with the subject line “Withdrawal Request – Manuscript ID [####]”.
  2. State the reason: Provide a brief, factual explanation (2–5 sentences). Avoid sensitive patient identifiers; if ethics issues are involved, note that documentation is available upon request.
  3. Confirm authorship consensus: Attach a statement confirming all authors agree to withdraw. If any author dissents, explain and provide contact details so the editor can mediate.
  4. Identify the stage: Indicate the current editorial stage you believe the manuscript is in (screening, under review, revision, acceptance, proofs). The office will verify from logs.
  5. Await confirmation: CJNCP will acknowledge receipt, verify stage and circumstances, and confirm the outcome and any fees applicable.

Do not contact peer reviewers directly. All communications must go through the editorial office to protect confidentiality and fairness.

5) Stage-based administrative fees

Author-initiated withdrawals after editorial work has begun consume limited resources (screening, coordination, peer reviewer time, and production setup). To preserve fairness for authors and reviewers, CJNCP may apply a stage-based administrative fee when a withdrawal is requested after certain milestones. These fees are independent of Article Processing Charges (APCs) and are only relevant in the event of withdrawal.

Editorial stage at time of request Administrative fee (USD) Rationale
Before plagiarism/similarity screening $0 Minimal handling effort; prompt notice supports efficient workflows.
After screening, before external peer review invitation $349 Editorial checks, scope assessment, initial admin and technical screening completed.
After at least one external review invited or received $549 Reviewer time and coordination costs incurred; protects volunteer effort.
After acceptance or during typesetting/proof stage $949 Production, layout, DOI/metadata preparation, and quality checks already underway.

Current rates are shown for clarity and may be reviewed periodically. If this policy is updated, the version in effect at the time the withdrawal request is received will apply. Where a waiver or reduction is justified (e.g., public-interest ethical concerns), the Editor-in-Chief may approve it.

6) Editorial (journal-initiated) withdrawal

In rare cases, CJNCP may withdraw a manuscript from consideration without an author request, for example when:

  • Serious ethical, legal, or patient-safety concerns arise (e.g., lack of approvals/consent, privacy breaches).
  • Evidence of fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or image manipulation is identified.
  • Authors fail to respond to essential editorial queries over a reasonable period and the integrity of the process is compromised.
  • Competing or duplicate submissions by the same team are confirmed and cannot be resolved fairly.

No administrative fee is charged for journal-initiated withdrawal.

7) Effects of withdrawal on records and identifiers

  • Peer review: Reviewer reports are not transferred to other journals by CJNCP. Authors may not quote from confidential reviews.
  • DOIs and indexing: If a DOI has been reserved but not public, it may be voided internally. If a DOI has been publicized (e.g., early metadata registration), the landing page will state that the manuscript was withdrawn prior to publication.
  • Repository deposits: If deposits (e.g., preprints) exist, authors should update them to reflect the withdrawal from CJNCP and any future submission plans to avoid confusion.
  • Confidentiality: The journal does not disclose withdrawal reasons publicly unless they involve confirmed misconduct or legal issues that require notification.

8) Timelines and communication

CJNCP acknowledges withdrawal requests within 1–3 business days. Verification of stage and circumstances typically completes within 5–10 business days. Complex cases (e.g., multi-institution disputes) may take longer. We keep a clear audit trail of communications and decisions.

9) Unethical withdrawal practices and sanctions

Practices that may trigger sanctions

  • Reviewer shopping: Withdrawing solely to evade critical but professional peer-review feedback while under active consideration elsewhere.
  • Simultaneous submission: Submitting the same or substantially similar manuscript to multiple journals without disclosure and then withdrawing from CJNCP when another venue responds first.
  • Non-cooperation with ethics queries: Refusing to provide approvals/consent or raw data when reasonably requested and then withdrawing to avoid scrutiny.
  • Misrepresentation: Providing false reasons for withdrawal or misusing confidential reviewer comments in promotional materials or future submissions.

Potential actions include: declining future submissions for a defined period, notifying institutions or funders, and documenting concerns internally for editorial awareness. We prefer educational remedies and fairness; sanctions are proportionate and time-limited.

10) Relationship with APCs, refunds, and optional services

  • APCs (Article Processing Charges): CJNCP charges APCs only upon acceptance. If authors withdraw after acceptance, any APC already paid is generally non-refundable because production work begins promptly. See the Refund Policy for details.
  • Administrative fees vs APCs: The stage-based administrative fee (this page) is separate from APCs and applies only to withdrawals.
  • Waivers/discounts: Previously approved APC waivers or discounts do not affect administrative fees. Fee waivers for withdrawal may be considered in public-interest ethics cases.
  • Optional services (prints/reprints): Orders placed before withdrawal follow the terms provided at order time; contact the office for case-by-case guidance.

11) Disputes, authorship disagreements, and mediation

If co-authors disagree about withdrawal, the corresponding author should provide a concise summary of positions and relevant documentation (e.g., emails, institutional guidance). CJNCP may pause processing while institutions mediate. If the dispute cannot be resolved promptly and the integrity of review is at risk, the journal may close the file or proceed with editorial withdrawal.

12) Resubmission after withdrawal

  • Withdrawing from CJNCP does not preclude authors from submitting a substantially revised and improved version in the future.
  • Resubmissions should transparently describe prior review history (if any) in the cover letter, including key methodological changes or new data.
  • Where an earlier withdrawal involved ethical or authorship issues, include a brief statement explaining how those issues have been resolved.

13) Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Common questions

Q1: Can I withdraw while my paper is under revision?
Yes. Provide the reason and co-author consensus. If peer reviewers have already invested time, a stage-based fee may apply.

Q2: What if my institution advises withdrawal due to a policy conflict?
Please share a brief institutional note. Fees may be reduced or waived if the issue is demonstrably beyond the authors’ reasonable control.

Q3: Does withdrawal affect my chances in future at CJNCP?
Not if handled professionally and transparently. Unethical practices may lead to temporary restrictions.

Q4: Can CJNCP transfer my reviews to another journal?
No. To protect confidentiality, we do not share reviewer reports externally.

Q5: Is there any record of the withdrawal?
Internally, yes, for audit. Publicly, no—unless misconduct or legal reasons require a notice.

Q6: If my paper already has a DOI assigned, what happens on withdrawal?
If the DOI is public, its landing page will indicate pre-publication withdrawal; no version of record is posted.

14) Summary and contact

  • Withdrawal is available for good-faith reasons with co-author consensus.
  • Administrative fees may apply based on editorial stage to reflect costs already incurred.
  • Journal-initiated withdrawals for ethics/legal reasons do not incur author fees.
  • APCs are separate; payments made after acceptance are typically non-refundable (see Refund Policy).
  • Unethical withdrawal practices may attract proportionate, time-limited sanctions.

To request withdrawal or seek advice, contact the editorial office via the journal’s official contact page. Include your manuscript ID, article title, current stage, and a brief reason for the request. We aim to acknowledge within 1–3 business days.