Manuscript Withdrawal Policy

NeuroImage is committed to maintaining high standards of publication ethics, editorial integrity, and responsible scholarly publishing. Our editorial practices are guided by internationally recognized principles of publication ethics, including relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Authors are expected to submit manuscripts responsibly and to avoid unnecessary or unethical withdrawal requests that consume valuable editorial and peer review resources.

Author Responsibilities Before Submission

Before submitting a manuscript, authors should ensure that:

• The manuscript is original and has not been submitted simultaneously to another journal unless explicitly permitted.
• All authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript.
• Authorship, author order, affiliations, and corresponding author details have been finalized.
• All data, figures, tables, and references are accurate and complete.
• Necessary ethical approvals and informed consent have been obtained where applicable.
• All conflicts of interest and funding sources have been disclosed.
• The manuscript complies with applicable research and publication ethics requirements.

Authors are encouraged to review the Journal's Publication Ethics policy before submission.

Withdrawal Before Peer Review

Authors may request withdrawal of a manuscript before editorial evaluation or before the manuscript has been assigned for external peer review.

Withdrawal requests should be submitted by the corresponding author with the knowledge and consent of all co-authors.

Withdrawal During Peer Review

If authors wish to withdraw a manuscript after external peer review has commenced, they should provide a formal written request explaining the reason for withdrawal.

The Editorial Office may consider the stage of the review process, reviewer involvement, and applicable publication ethics requirements before confirming the withdrawal.

Authors should avoid withdrawing manuscripts simply to submit substantially the same work to another journal while the manuscript remains under active consideration.

Withdrawal After Acceptance

Withdrawal of an accepted manuscript is considered more carefully because editorial, peer review, production, and administrative resources may already have been committed.

Requests to withdraw an accepted but unpublished manuscript must be submitted in writing by the corresponding author and may require confirmation from all co-authors.

Where applicable, any financial implications will be handled in accordance with the Journal's APC and refund policies.

Withdrawal After Publication

Once an article has been formally published, it generally cannot be treated as an ordinary manuscript withdrawal.

Where serious concerns arise after publication, the Journal may consider appropriate editorial actions, including correction, retraction, or publication of an expression of concern, in accordance with applicable publication ethics policies.

Refund Policy

If Article Processing Charges (APCs) have already been paid:

• APCs will generally not be refunded after publication.
• Refund requests relating to accepted but unpublished articles will be considered in accordance with the Journal's APC Refund Policy, where applicable.
• Any approved refund will be subject to the applicable terms and administrative requirements.

Withdrawal Procedure

Authors requesting withdrawal must submit a formal written request to the Editorial Office. The request should:

• Be submitted by the corresponding author.
• Include the manuscript title and manuscript identification number.
• Clearly state the reason for withdrawal.
• Confirm that all co-authors have been informed of and agree with the withdrawal request.

Where requested by the Editorial Office, authors may also be required to complete and sign an official Manuscript Withdrawal Form.

A manuscript will not be considered formally withdrawn until the corresponding author receives written confirmation from the Editorial Office.

Editorial Discretion

The Editorial Office reserves the right to review every withdrawal request individually. Editorial consideration may include:

• The stage of the editorial process.
• Publication ethics.
• Reviewer effort and resources.
• Scientific integrity.
• Potential duplicate or simultaneous submission.
• Applicable legal or regulatory obligations.

The Editor-in-Chief's decision regarding withdrawal matters shall be final.