Post-Publication Discussion Policy

1. Scope of Post-Publication Discussion

Readers, researchers, authors, and relevant institutions may submit scholarly comments addressing articles already published in MPR.

Appropriate subjects include:

• Research methods, analytical procedures, or interpretation of findings.
• Data quality, supporting evidence, or limitations affecting conclusions.
• Theoretical arguments and alternative scholarly interpretations.
• Comparative perspectives on governance, public policy, and international affairs.
• Relevant factual, numerical, citation, or reporting errors.
• Substantiated questions concerning research integrity or publication ethics.

Comments should contribute meaningful scholarly analysis rather than merely express agreement, disagreement, or political preference without supporting arguments.

2. Submission of Comments and Scholarly Responses

Post-publication comments, critical responses, or requests for scholarly clarification should be submitted in writing to the MPR Editorial Office.

Submissions should include:

• The contributor's name, affiliation, and contact details.
• The title and DOI or permanent URL of the published article.
• A concise description of the issue or scholarly argument.
• Relevant evidence, references, or supporting documentation.
• A declaration of relevant conflicts of interest, where applicable.

3. Editorial Assessment and Moderation

The Editorial Team assesses comments for scholarly relevance, clarity, supporting evidence, originality, professional language, and compliance with publication ethics.

Where appropriate, the editor may request clarification, revision, or independent expert assessment before deciding whether the contribution should be published, communicated to the authors, or handled through another editorial procedure.

The journal does not accept personal attacks, discriminatory statements, unsupported allegations, defamatory material, confidential information disclosed without authorization, or content intended primarily for political or commercial promotion.

Acceptance of a post-publication comment is an editorial decision. Submission does not guarantee publication or the availability of an unrestricted public commenting facility.

4. Authors' Right to Respond

When substantive criticism concerns a published article, the Editorial Team may invite the original authors to provide a reasoned response, clarification, or relevant supporting evidence.

Authors are expected to respond professionally, address the specific scholarly issues raised, and acknowledge genuine errors when identified.

Where appropriate, the journal may publish a scholarly comment and the authors' response as related contributions, subject to editorial assessment. All parties must disclose relevant competing interests and respect legitimate differences in scholarly interpretation.

5. Corrections, Ethical Concerns and Editorial Action

Post-publication discussion may identify errors or integrity concerns requiring action beyond scholarly correspondence.

Suspected plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or other research misconduct is evaluated through the journal's research-integrity and complaints procedures. Legitimate scholarly disagreement alone is not grounds for retraction.

Formal amendments are governed by MPR's Retraction, Withdrawal and Correction (R-W-C) Policy. Where a public notice is required, it should be transparent and linked to the affected publication.

6. Transparency, Respect and Editorial Independence

Post-publication discussion must remain respectful, evidence-based, and free from inappropriate political, institutional, financial, or personal influence.

The Editorial Team may decline contributions that are repetitive, irrelevant, inadequately supported, abusive, or inconsistent with scholarly ethics. Confidential research records and personal information must not be publicly disclosed without appropriate authorization.

When scholarly comments and author responses are formally published, the journal should identify their relationship to the original article and preserve appropriate citation and publication records.