JESS | PUBLICATION ETHICS AND EDITORIAL INTEGRITY

Conflict of Interest Policy

JESS (Journal of Education on Social Science) is committed to maintaining transparency, impartiality, accountability, and integrity throughout the scholarly publication process. The journal recognizes that actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest may influence, or appear to influence, the professional judgment of authors, reviewers, editors, and other individuals involved in research evaluation and publication.

POLICY PRINCIPLES

1. Purpose and Scope of the Policy

The purpose of this policy is to establish clear principles and procedures for identifying, disclosing, evaluating, and managing conflicts of interest that may arise during research preparation, manuscript submission, peer review, editorial decision-making, and publication.

This policy applies to all parties involved in the journal's scholarly publication activities, including authors, co-authors, corresponding authors, peer reviewers, editors, Editorial Board members, guest editors, editorial staff, and individuals acting on behalf of the publisher.

The policy seeks to ensure that scholarly decisions are made fairly and independently, that relevant relationships are disclosed transparently, and that the credibility of the published scientific record is protected.

2. Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest, also referred to as a competing interest, arises when a secondary interest or relationship may influence, or reasonably be perceived as influencing, an individual's professional judgment, scholarly objectivity, or responsibilities in the research and publication process.

Conflicts of interest may be financial or non-financial and may exist even when no improper conduct or actual bias has occurred.

The existence of a competing interest does not automatically invalidate research findings or constitute research misconduct. Transparent disclosure enables editors and readers to evaluate relevant circumstances and supports appropriate management of identified risks.

3. Categories of Competing Interests

Competing interests may arise from different types of financial, professional, institutional, academic, or personal relationships. The following categories are illustrative rather than exhaustive.

4. Responsibilities of Authors

All authors submitting manuscripts to JESS must disclose relevant financial and non-financial interests that could influence, or reasonably be perceived as influencing, the design, conduct, analysis, interpretation, or reporting of their research.

Authors are responsible for:

• Disclosing all relevant competing interests at manuscript submission;
• Identifying research funding and other material support;
• Explaining the role of funders or sponsors in the research process;
• Disclosing relevant employment, consultancy, advisory, or institutional relationships;
• Providing complete and accurate declarations for all co-authors;
• Updating disclosures when relevant circumstances change;
• Cooperating with reasonable editorial requests for clarification or supporting documentation.

The corresponding author must coordinate the collection and submission of competing-interest declarations from all co-authors. Each author remains individually responsible for the completeness and accuracy of their disclosure.

A conflict of interest declaration must be provided even when the authors have no relevant competing interests to disclose.

5. Responsibilities of Peer Reviewers

Peer reviewers are responsible for providing independent, objective, constructive, and confidential assessments of manuscripts. Reviewers must identify and disclose circumstances that could compromise their impartiality before accepting a review assignment.

Reviewers should decline or seek editorial guidance regarding assignments involving:

• Close personal or family relationships with the authors;
• Current or recent direct research collaboration;
• Direct supervisory or mentoring relationships;
• Financial interests connected to the research findings;
• Professional competition that could compromise objectivity;
• Institutional relationships creating a substantial risk of bias;
• Other relevant circumstances that could reasonably affect impartiality.

Reviewers must immediately inform the handling editor if a competing interest becomes apparent after accepting an invitation. Reviewers should not continue the evaluation while a material conflict remains unresolved without editorial guidance.

Reviewers must not use confidential manuscript information for personal advantage, academic competition, financial benefit, or any purpose unrelated to the authorized review.

Disclosure does not automatically disqualify a reviewer in every circumstance. The handling editor must assess the nature and significance of the competing interest and determine whether the reviewer can proceed independently or should be replaced.

6. Responsibilities of Editors and Editorial Board Members

Editors and Editorial Board members are expected to maintain professional independence and disclose relevant relationships that could affect their editorial responsibilities.

Editors must:

• Disclose actual, potential, or perceived competing interests;
• Avoid participating in decisions where their impartiality could reasonably be questioned;
• Ensure that reviewer selection is based on expertise and independence;
• Refrain from influencing decisions concerning manuscripts in which they have a material interest;
• Protect confidential manuscript information;
• Avoid preferential treatment for colleagues, institutional affiliates, or professional associates;
• Ensure that the final editorial decision reflects academic merit and relevant review evidence.

An editor who has a material competing interest in a manuscript must recuse themselves from its editorial handling and decision-making. Responsibility should be transferred to another qualified and independent editor.

Guest editors and other individuals temporarily assigned editorial responsibilities must comply with equivalent conflict-of-interest requirements.

7. Manuscripts Submitted by Editors or Editorial Board Members

Manuscripts authored or co-authored by the Editor-in-Chief, editors, Editorial Board members, or individuals holding editorial responsibilities must be evaluated through an independent editorial procedure.

The following safeguards apply:

1. The involved editor must disclose their relationship to the submitted manuscript.
2. The manuscript must be assigned to an independent handling editor.
3. The involved editor must not participate in reviewer selection.
4. The involved editor must not access confidential review deliberations beyond the permissions normally available to authors.
5. Reviewer assessments must be conducted independently.
6. The final editorial decision must be made by an editor without a relevant competing interest.

Editorial affiliation does not confer any entitlement to publication. Manuscripts submitted by editorial personnel must satisfy the same scholarly standards and peer-review requirements as other submissions.

8. Responsibilities of the Publisher and Sponsoring Organizations

JESS is published by the Faculty of Social Science, Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia. Institutional publishing responsibilities must be distinguished from editorial decision-making concerning individual manuscripts.

The publisher, sponsoring institutions, collaborating organizations, and financial supporters must not improperly influence manuscript acceptance, rejection, reviewer selection, interpretation of research findings, or the handling of publication ethics concerns.

Any institutional or financial arrangement that could create a material competing interest should be disclosed and managed transparently.

Editorial independence must be maintained regardless of whether a manuscript is submitted by an individual affiliated with the publisher, a collaborating institution, or an organization providing financial or administrative support.

9. Funding Disclosure and Sponsor Independence

Authors must disclose the sources of financial and material support directly associated with the research reported in their manuscripts.

Funding disclosures should identify:

• The name of the funding organization or sponsor;
• Relevant grant or funding identification numbers, where applicable;
• The nature of financial or in-kind support;
• The role of funders in the research design;
• The role of funders in data collection, analysis, or interpretation;
• Any involvement in manuscript preparation or the decision to submit for publication;
• Any relevant restrictions affecting research independence or access to data.

Where a funding source has not influenced research design, implementation, analysis, interpretation, or publication decisions, authors may explicitly state that the funder had no such involvement.

Funding disclosure and conflict-of-interest disclosure serve related but distinct purposes. Authors must report direct research funding and separately disclose other relevant relationships that could constitute competing interests.

10. Disclosure Requirements and Submission Procedures

A conflict-of-interest declaration must accompany each manuscript submitted to JESS. The statement should accurately reflect the relevant interests of all authors and be updated whenever material circumstances change during manuscript evaluation.

The declaration process should include the following steps:

11. Management of Identified Conflicts of Interest

When a relevant competing interest is disclosed or identified, the editorial team must assess its nature, significance, and potential influence on research reporting, peer review, or editorial decision-making.

Depending on the circumstances, appropriate measures may include:

• Requesting additional disclosure or clarification;
• Requiring a more complete competing-interest statement;
• Appointing an independent handling editor;
• Reassigning a manuscript to another reviewer;
• Excluding an individual from a relevant editorial decision;
• Seeking independent methodological or specialist evaluation;
• Documenting the management measures undertaken;
• Suspending manuscript processing when a material concern requires further examination.

The response must be proportionate to the nature and seriousness of the competing interest. Disclosure alone does not automatically warrant manuscript rejection or removal of an individual from the publication process.

Where a conflict materially compromises the integrity or independence of the evaluation process and cannot be adequately managed, the editorial team may take additional action consistent with the journal's publication ethics policies.

12. Undisclosed Conflicts and Post-Publication Concerns

If an undisclosed competing interest is identified during manuscript evaluation or after publication, the editorial team should examine the available evidence and request an explanation from the individuals concerned.

The assessment should consider:

• The nature of the undisclosed relationship or interest;
• Its relevance to the research or editorial decision;
• Whether the omission was inadvertent or deliberate;
• The potential influence on research interpretation or review independence;
• Whether the published conclusions remain reliable;
• Whether corrective action is necessary.

Where appropriate, the journal may request an updated declaration, publish a correction notice, review the editorial process, or refer the matter to the relevant institution.

An expression of concern or retraction should be considered only where the circumstances satisfy the applicable publication ethics criteria. The mere existence of an undisclosed interest does not automatically justify retraction.

Any post-publication notice must be transparent, appropriately linked to the published article, and consistent with the journal's Correction and Retraction Policy.

13. Confidentiality, Documentation, and Fair Assessment

Competing-interest declarations and related editorial documentation must be handled responsibly and used only for legitimate editorial, research integrity, and publication purposes.

Confidential information received during editorial assessment should be accessible only to individuals who are authorized to evaluate or manage the relevant issue.

The editorial team should maintain appropriate records of significant disclosures, assessments, recusals, reviewer reassignments, and resulting editorial decisions, subject to applicable institutional record-management procedures.

Individuals whose interests are under consideration should be given a reasonable opportunity to provide clarification. Conflict-of-interest concerns must be evaluated fairly and proportionately, without unsupported allegations or discriminatory assumptions.

14. Standard Conflict of Interest Declarations

Authors should include an appropriate conflict-of-interest statement in their manuscripts. The following examples may be adapted to accurately reflect the circumstances of the research.

These statements are examples and must not be used to conceal existing relationships or to make inaccurate declarations. Authors must ensure that the wording reflects their actual circumstances.

15. Commitment to Transparency and Editorial Independence

JESS recognizes that transparent management of competing interests is essential to preserving public trust in scholarly communication and ensuring confidence in the integrity of academic research.

All individuals participating in the research and publication process are expected to demonstrate honesty, independence, professional responsibility, and a commitment to the ethical evaluation of scholarly work.

The journal seeks to ensure that relevant interests are disclosed and managed appropriately so that publication decisions remain grounded in academic merit, methodological quality, research integrity, and the advancement of scientific knowledge.

16. Supporting Standards and Related Policies

This policy is informed by internationally recognized principles for the disclosure and management of competing interests in scholarly publishing.

International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
Disclosure of Financial and Non-Financial Relationships and Activities, and Conflicts of Interest.
ICMJE Recommendations

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers.
https://doi.org/10.24318/cope.2019.1.9

Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Guidance and discussion documents on competing interests.
COPE Official Website

JESS Publication Ethics.
View Publication Ethics

JESS Peer Review Process.
View Peer Review Process

JESS Editorial Office.
View Contact Information

JESS (Journal of Education on Social Science)

Faculty of Social Science, Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia

Print ISSN: 2622-0741 | Electronic ISSN: 2550-0147