Conflicts of interest

At SSJ, we prioritize the maintenance of a high level of publishing ethics. We acknowledge the severity of publication malpractice and conflicts of interest, and strive to prevent them from occurring. Our policy is to require all authors and SSJ editorial board members to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest upon accepting an editorial or review assignment or submission.

To ensure a transparent and objective review process, we have implemented a review system that guarantees impartiality. The names of handling editors and reviewers will be publicly disclosed as a measure of transparency and accountability upon the publication of articles. This will enable for any conflicts of interest to be identified and addressed. Our commitment to ethical publishing practices is at the forefront of our mission, and we are dedicated to providing authors and readers with a trustworthy and reliable source of information.

Authors

It is mandatory for authors to fully disclose any potential conflicts of interest during the submission process. considering the following questions and have included any relevant information in your submission. If there is any potential conflict of interest that you may have overlooked or failed to disclose during the submission process, we encourage to contact the editorial office of the journal as soon as possible to provide the details. Your cooperation in providing comprehensive information regarding potential conflicts of interest is vital to upholding the integrity and credibility of our publication.

Handling, topic, and review editors

We would like to remind editors and reviewers of SSJ’ policy regarding potential conflicts of interest when taking on assignments. To ensure the integrity of our peer review process, we request that all editors and reviewers complete our questionnaire to disclose any relevant conflicts of interest. We take any positive responses very seriously and evaluate them on a case-by-case basis. The relationship between editors, reviewers, and authors is a crucial aspect of ensuring the fairness and objectivity of the peer review process. We encourage editors to promote diversity of thought by inviting independent reviewers from a range of institutions and locations. Thank you for your commitment to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct in scientific publishing.

It is recommended that any uncertainties regarding potential conflicts of interest be promptly disclosed to the appropriate parties for review and consideration. Editors and the SSJ editorial office will determine the necessary steps should a conflict require disclosure on the article or necessitate reassignment of a reviewer or editor.

As per protocol, editors are obligated to report any actual or potential conflicts of interest to the journal’s editorial office, while reviewers must report any actual or potential conflicts of interest to both the editorial office and the handling editor for the manuscript. Clear communication and transparency regarding conflicts of interest is essential to maintaining the integrity of the peer-review process.

In case of doubt, we kindly advise you to reach out to your journal’s office via email. It would be greatly appreciated if you could provide us with comprehensive details of the situation and any potential conflicts that you wish to report. We are always here to support you and ensure the smooth running of the submission process.