Conflict of Interest Policy
The Journal of Engineering Research and Reviews (JERR) is committed to maintaining the integrity, transparency, and impartiality of its editorial and publication processes. The journal requires authors, editors, reviewers, and other participants in the publication process to disclose relationships or circumstances that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research, its interpretation, or an editorial decision.
1. Definition of Conflict of Interest
A conflict of interest (COI) exists when an individual has a personal, financial, professional, institutional, or other relationship or interest that could reasonably be perceived as influencing, or potentially influencing, their objectivity, judgment, or conduct in relation to a manuscript or publication.
Conflicts of interest may be actual, potential, or perceived.
Examples may include, but are not limited to:
financial relationships with commercial organizations or other entities that may benefit from the publication;
employment, consultancy, ownership, or other financial interests;
research funding or grants;
patents or patent applications;
personal or professional relationships with authors;
close academic or institutional relationships;
membership of organizations with a direct interest in the research; and
other circumstances that could reasonably affect impartial judgment.
The existence of a conflict of interest does not necessarily prevent publication. The primary requirement is that relevant conflicts are appropriately disclosed and managed.
2. Author Responsibilities
2.1. Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest
All authors must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest that could reasonably be considered relevant to the submitted manuscript.
Authors should disclose relevant financial and non-financial relationships, including relationships with organizations that may benefit from or be affected by the publication.
If no conflict of interest exists, authors should provide an explicit statement such as:
"The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest."
2.2. Funding Disclosure
Authors must disclose all sources of financial support for the research, including grants, institutional funding, commercial sponsorship, or other financial assistance.
Where applicable, the funding statement should identify:
the funding organization;
the grant or award number;
the recipient of the funding; and
the role of the funder in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, or decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
If the funder had no involvement in these activities, this should be stated where appropriate.
2.3. Relevant Non-Financial Interests
Authors should also disclose significant non-financial interests that could reasonably be perceived as influencing the research or its interpretation.
These may include personal, professional, academic, institutional, or intellectual relationships.
2.4. Changes in Conflict of Interest
Authors are responsible for informing the journal if a relevant conflict of interest arises or becomes known after submission and before publication.
If a relevant conflict is identified after publication, the journal may publish an appropriate correction or clarification to ensure that the published record remains transparent.
3. Editor Responsibilities
3.1. Editorial Impartiality
Editors must evaluate manuscripts objectively and independently and must not allow personal, financial, professional, institutional, or other interests to influence editorial decisions.
Editorial decisions must be based on the scientific and scholarly merits of the manuscript.
3.2. Editorial Recusal
Editors should not handle manuscripts when they have a conflict of interest that could reasonably compromise their impartiality.
Examples may include manuscripts authored by:
themselves;
close colleagues or collaborators;
current or recent students or supervisors;
individuals with whom they have a significant personal relationship; or
researchers with whom they have another substantial conflict.
When an editor has a relevant conflict, the manuscript should be assigned to another qualified editor whenever possible.
3.3. Confidentiality
Editors must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and must not use unpublished information obtained through the editorial process for personal or professional advantage.
4. Reviewer Responsibilities
4.1. Declaration of Conflicts
Reviewers must evaluate manuscripts objectively and must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest before accepting a review assignment or as soon as such a conflict becomes apparent.
A reviewer should decline to review a manuscript when a conflict could reasonably compromise their impartiality.
4.2. Examples of Reviewer Conflicts
Potential conflicts may include:
a close personal or professional relationship with an author;
recent collaboration with one or more authors;
direct competition involving substantially similar unpublished research;
financial interests related to the research;
institutional relationships that could affect impartiality; or
other circumstances that may create a reasonable perception of bias.
4.3. Confidentiality
Reviewers must maintain strict confidentiality during the peer review process.
They must not disclose, copy, distribute, or use unpublished information obtained through peer review for personal, academic, commercial, or professional advantage.
JERR follows a double-blind peer review model, under which the identities of authors and reviewers are concealed from one another during the peer review process.
5. Publisher Responsibilities
The publisher supports the independence and integrity of the journal's editorial decision-making process.
The publisher must not interfere with editorial decisions on the basis of commercial interests, advertising, sponsorship, publication charges, or other external considerations.
Where a potential conflict involving the publisher, editorial team, or other parties could affect the integrity of the publication process, appropriate measures should be taken to identify, disclose, and manage the conflict.
6. Management and Resolution of Conflicts
When a conflict of interest is identified, JERR will determine the appropriate action based on the nature and significance of the conflict.
Possible measures may include:
disclosure of the conflict in the published article;
reassignment of an editor or reviewer;
additional independent peer review;
consultation with another editor or appropriate expert;
correction of the published record where necessary; or
other appropriate measures to protect the integrity and impartiality of the publication process.
The journal may request additional information or clarification from authors, editors, reviewers, or other relevant parties when necessary.
7. Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest
If a significant undisclosed conflict of interest is identified after publication, the journal will assess the circumstances and determine whether corrective action is necessary.
Depending on the nature and significance of the issue, the journal may publish a correction, clarification, expression of concern, or other appropriate notice.
Where an undisclosed conflict materially affects the reliability or integrity of the published work, the journal may consider retraction in accordance with its Corrections and Retractions Policy.
8. Conflict of Interest and Editorial Decisions
Disclosure of a conflict of interest does not automatically constitute grounds for rejection of a manuscript.
The purpose of disclosure is to ensure transparency and allow the journal to manage potential conflicts appropriately.
Editorial decisions remain based on the scientific quality, originality, methodological rigor, significance, and relevance of the submitted work.
Payment of any applicable publication fee or the author's ability to pay such a fee must not influence editorial decisions.
9. Transparency
Relevant conflict-of-interest and funding disclosures should be included in the published article where applicable.
Authors are responsible for ensuring that the information they provide is complete and accurate.
10. Policy Review
JERR periodically reviews this Conflict of Interest Policy and may update it when necessary to reflect developments in publication ethics, research integrity, and recognized standards of scholarly publishing.
