Conflict of Interest Policy
Scientific research findings must be be based on objective, unbiased analysis and interpretation. Authors, reviewers, and editors are therefore expected to disclose any relationships or circumstances that might influence, or reasonably appear to influence, the integrity, objectivity, or impartiality of the editorial and publication process.
Participants in the Editorial Process
A conflict of interest exists when an author (or their institution), reviewer, or member of the Editorial Board has financial, professional, or personal relationships with individuals or organizations that may inappropriately influence, or reasonably appear to influence, their actions, judgments, or decisions. Disclosure of such relationships is essential for ensuring transparency and maintaining research integrity. The existence of a potential conflict of interest does not, in itself, constitute evidence of unethical conduct.
Common types of conflicts include employment, consultancy, share ownership, financial compensation, paid engagements, personal relationships, academic competition, or patent ownership.
Editorial Management of Conflicts of Interest
To preserve the independence, impartiality, and integrity of the editorial process, the journal applies the following procedures when a submitted manuscript involves a member of the Editorial Board as an author.
Editor-in-Chief as an Author
If the Editor-in-Chief is an author or co-author of a submitted manuscript, they shall not participate in any stage of the editorial handling of that manuscript, including the initial editorial assessment, reviewer selection, editorial correspondence, peer review, evaluation of revised versions, or the final publication decision.
In such cases, the journal shall appoint an independent Guest Editor to manage the manuscript. The Guest Editor shall assume full responsibility for the editorial and peer review process, including reviewer selection, communication with reviewers and authors, assessment of revised submissions, and the final editorial decision. Upon completion of the process, the Guest Editor shall submit the editorial decision together with the peer review records to the Editorial Board for administrative registration in the journal's editorial management system.
Editorial Board Member as an Author
If a member of the Editorial Board (other than the Editor-in-Chief) is an author or co-author of a submitted manuscript, that editor shall be excluded from all editorial handling and decision-making relating to the manuscript.
In such cases, the Editor-in-Chief shall assume full responsibility for managing the editorial process, including reviewer selection, editorial correspondence, evaluation of revisions, and the final publication decision.
Editors who are authors of a manuscript shall not have access to confidential reviewer reports, editorial correspondence, or any editorial discussions concerning their own submission.
Disclosure
All authors are required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest during manuscript submission in accordance with the journal's submission procedures.
Where required by the Editorial Office, authors may also be requested to complete and sign the journal's Unified Disclosure Form: Publication Ethics and Conflict of Interest
Each author is responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information provided. The corresponding author must include a Conflict of Interest Statement within the manuscript itself (not only in the disclosure form), listing all authors and declaring any individual conflicts of interest, where applicable.
Declaration in Published Articles
Where an author is a member of the Editorial Board, the published article shall include an appropriate Conflict of Interest Statement explaining the editorial arrangements adopted to ensure an independent, impartial, and transparent editorial process.
Examples of Conflict of Interest Statements
- If no conflict of interest exists:
Conflict of Interest:
The authors declare that they have no competing interests or conflicts of interest to disclose.
- If a conflict of interest exists:
Conflict of Interest:
Ahmed Mohamed and Mohamed Ahmed are former employees of University (X), while Ali Mustafa is currently employed by the same university. The remaining authors declare that they have no competing interests.
If an Editorial Board Member is an Author
Conflict of Interest
One of the authors of this article is a member of the Editorial Board of the Faculty of Arts Journal. The author did not participate in any stage of the editorial handling, peer review, or publication decision relating to this manuscript. The editorial process was conducted in accordance with the journal's Conflict of Interest Policy to ensure an independent, impartial, and transparent review process. The remaining authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Related Policies
This policy is closely related to the journal's Editorial Policy, Peer Review Policy, and Publication Ethics and Research Integrity Policy.
For a complete list of the journal's publication policies and editorial guidelines, please refer to the Publishing Policies page.
