Form letter A1: To author

Form letter A1: To author regarding a published article

Form letters are examples of appropriate letters for various situations. Please find below the text of Form letter A1: To author regarding a published article. You can copy this text and adjust it to your needs. The template is also available in Word(打開新的分頁／視窗) or PDF(打開新的分頁／視窗) format.

This form letter is used in the following decision trees:

Form letter A1: To author regarding a published article

[date]

[title of article, date of publication]

Dear [author],

Concern has been raised about the publication of the article listed above, for which you are the corresponding author. As the editor of the journal, I must take seriously any allegation raised that if true would violate the journal's policies (set out in our ethical statements, instructions to the author, and the like).

[The substance of the complaint is that {description}, which if true, would violate our publishing policies.]

[Attached you will find a copy of the communication which raises the concern noted.]

Please provide me a prompt and full response within 30 days, which I will also [discuss/share] with the party raising this concern.

Depending on the nature of your response, I should also inform you that I [may OR also] consider it necessary to inform and involve the research institution at which the underlying research took place [or is alleged to have taken place], and [possibly] the funding agency that supported the research [or that allegedly supported the research].

Please note that if we do not have an adequate and timely response, we may be forced to conclude that the allegations are truthful.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours sincerely,

[editor name]

[editor-in-chief]