01. Purpose and Scope

LOCUS Journal of Academic Literature Review (JALR) is committed to transparent, independent, and impartial editorial decision-making. This policy applies to authors, editors, peer reviewers, and other persons who participate in the assessment or publication of manuscripts. A conflict of interest may be actual, potential, or reasonably perceived; its existence does not necessarily indicate misconduct, but it must be disclosed and appropriately managed.

Editorial decisions must be based on scholarly merit, relevance, methodological rigor, and publication ethics, rather than personal, financial, institutional, or other competing interests.

02. Types of Competing Interests

Competing interests may include financial relationships (employment, consultancy, honoraria, grants, equity, patents, or other relevant benefits); professional or institutional relationships (direct collaboration, supervision, shared projects, or recent co-authorship); personal relationships or disputes; academic rivalry; ideological commitments; or other circumstances that could compromise—or appear to compromise—independent judgment.

Individuals should disclose relevant relationships even if they believe those relationships do not affect their objectivity. Editors determine appropriate safeguards on a case-by-case basis.

03. Responsibilities of Authors

All authors must disclose relevant competing interests at submission and update their declarations if circumstances change during review or before publication. The corresponding author is responsible for collecting and submitting declarations from every co-author; a statement of “no competing interests” must only be used when accurate.

Authors must also identify sources of funding and explain the funder’s role, where relevant, in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, and the decision to submit. Funding support alone does not automatically constitute a disqualifying conflict.

Declarations will be reflected in the published article where applicable. Failure to disclose a material interest may lead to clarification requests, additional evaluation, correction of the published record, or other action proportionate to the concern.

04. Responsibilities of Editors

Editors must disclose any relationship that could affect their impartiality in handling a submission. An editor must not manage or decide on a manuscript in which they are an author, have a significant personal or financial interest, or have another conflict that could reasonably call their independence into question.

Where an editor has a relevant conflict, the Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately authorized, unconflicted editor shall reassign the manuscript to another qualified editor. If the Editor-in-Chief has a conflict, responsibility must be delegated to an independent member of the editorial team.

Editorial board membership, institutional affiliation, and the payment of any publication fee must not guarantee acceptance or preferential treatment.

05. Responsibilities of Peer Reviewers

Invited reviewers must examine the manuscript information supplied in the invitation and promptly disclose any competing interests. They must decline the assignment when a relationship, collaboration, rivalry, financial interest, or other circumstance could compromise—or reasonably be perceived to compromise—their independence.

Reviewers must not use privileged manuscript information for personal advantage. Where a potential conflict is uncertain, reviewers should consult the handling editor before accepting the invitation. The editor may replace a reviewer or document a justified management decision, depending on the circumstances.

06. Disclosure and Management Procedure

The journal applies the following procedure to competing-interest disclosures throughout submission, review, and publication:

07. Publication Statements and Transparency

Each accepted article should include a clear competing-interest declaration. If no relevant competing interests are declared, the article may state: “The authors declare no competing interests.” If interests exist, authors must describe the relevant relationships accurately and concisely.

A separate funding statement should identify the relevant funding body and grant number, if applicable, and clarify the role of the funder when necessary. Editorial disclosures are recorded and managed confidentially, with public disclosure where needed to protect transparency and the integrity of the published record.

08. Failure to Disclose and Post-publication Concerns

Concerns regarding undisclosed interests may be raised by authors, reviewers, readers, or third parties through the journal’s official contact channel. The editorial team will assess available evidence, request clarification where appropriate, and provide a fair opportunity to respond.

Depending on the seriousness and effect of the omission, outcomes may include no further action, an amended declaration, additional independent review, correction, an expression of concern, or retraction when the reliability of the scholarly record is materially compromised. Any action must be documented and aligned with the journal’s Publication Ethics and Corrections and Retractions policies.

09. Policy Coordination

This policy operates alongside the journal’s Publication Ethics, Peer Review Process, Authorship and Contribution Policy, and Artificial Intelligence Policy. Disclosure does not automatically eliminate a conflict; the journal remains responsible for evaluating its significance and applying suitable safeguards.