JOURNAL POLICY   /   PUBLICATION INTEGRITY

Conflict of Interest Policy

Disclosure, independent judgment, and effective management of competing interests throughout publication.

APLIKATIF  —  Journal of Research Trends in Social Sciences and Humanities

OUR COMMITMENT

APLIKATIF: Journal of Research Trends in Social Sciences and Humanities requires authors, reviewers, editors, and other participants in the publication process to disclose interests that could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, their professional judgment.

A conflict of interest may be actual, potential, or perceived. Disclosure does not automatically disqualify an author or invalidate research; its purpose is to allow transparent assessment and appropriate management of possible bias.

01   /   DEFINITION

Interests That May Require Disclosure

Relevant interests may include research grants or commercial funding, employment, paid consulting, ownership or financial stakes, patents, supervisory or collaborative relationships, close personal relationships, institutional affiliations, professional competition, and strongly held commitments that could materially affect judgment in relation to a particular manuscript.

Not every connection constitutes a disqualifying conflict. When uncertain, individuals should disclose the relationship so that the editorial team can assess its relevance.

02   /   AUTHORS

Author Declarations

Each author must disclose relevant financial and non-financial interests at submission and update the disclosure if circumstances change before publication. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that declarations have been obtained from all co-authors.

Funding sources and the role of sponsors in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, or publication decisions should be stated separately when applicable. The journal will include an appropriate conflict-of-interest declaration with the published article.

03   /   PEER REVIEWERS

Reviewer Disclosure and Recusal

Invited reviewers must consider their independence before accepting an assignment and promptly tell the handling editor about relationships that might impair impartial judgment. This includes close collaborations, direct competition, family or supervisory relationships, shared institutional affiliations, and relevant financial interests.

A reviewer with a significant conflict should decline the invitation or withdraw after discovering it. An uncertain situation should be disclosed to the editor before the review continues. Reviewers must not use privileged manuscript information for personal advantage.

04   /   EDITORIAL TEAM

Editor Disclosure and Independent Handling

Editors must disclose relevant conflicts before handling a submission, recommending reviewers, or making a decision. An editor who is an author, a close collaborator, a recent supervisor or mentee, or otherwise directly interested in a manuscript must not control its editorial assessment.

A submission involving an editor or a person with a close professional relationship to the editor will be assigned to an unconflicted editor, who will select reviewers and make or recommend decisions independently. If the Editor-in-Chief is conflicted, the publisher will designate an appropriately independent handling editor.

Editorial appointments, institutional connections, advertising, or publication fees must not determine acceptance decisions. Relevant editorial actions will be documented.

05   /   MANAGEMENT

How Conflicts Are Managed

Following disclosure, the handling editor will assess the connection in light of its nature, closeness, timing, and relevance to the manuscript. Possible actions include recording the declaration, requesting additional information, publishing an appropriate disclosure, replacing a reviewer, transferring responsibility to an independent editor, or obtaining another independent assessment.

Decisions will be based on scholarly merit, evidence, and procedural fairness. A declared interest does not automatically lead to rejection of an author’s work.

06   /   POST-PUBLICATION

Undisclosed Interests Identified Later

If an undisclosed interest is reported after publication, the editor will request an explanation and assess whether the missing disclosure affected research interpretation, reviewer independence, or the reliability of the article.

Possible responses include publication of a corrected disclosure, an independent review, a formal correction, an Expression of Concern, or a retraction if a serious integrity problem justifies that action. The existence of an undeclared interest alone does not automatically require retraction.

07   /   RECORDS AND CONTACT

Recording Disclosures and Raising Concerns

Disclosures and decisions to manage them will be retained in the editorial record with access restricted to those who need the information to perform their duties. Public statements will avoid unnecessary disclosure of sensitive personal information.

Questions or concerns about a conflict of interest may be sent to jurnalaplikatif@gmail.com. Concerns involving the Editor-in-Chief can also be directed to the publisher’s support contact listed on the journal Contact page for independent handling.

EDITORIAL WORKFLOW

From report to resolution

1. Declare relevant interests before submission or review
2. Assess the relationship and its possible influence
3. Record a management decision or assign an independent editor
4. Publish appropriate author disclosures and retain editorial records

EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE

Disclose a potential conflict

Share the article or manuscript identifier, your role in the publication process, and the relevant relationship or interest. The editorial team will assess it without assuming wrongdoing.

Contact the Editorial Office →

jurnalaplikatif@gmail.com

RELATED GUIDANCE & POLICIES

COPE — Principles of Transparency  •  COPE — Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers  •  APLIKATIF — Publication Ethics  •  APLIKATIF — Peer Review Process

APLIKATIF   |   Publisher: Lembaga Riset dan Inovasi Masyarakat Madani