Conflict of Interest Policy

To maintain transparency and trust in the scientific process, all authors, reviewers, and editors must disclose any potential conflicts of interest (COI) that may affect their work.

Definition of Conflict of Interest

A conflict of interest exists when an individual’s financial, personal, or professional affiliations could influence (or appear to influence) their judgment, objectivity, or integrity in conducting or evaluating research. Examples include, but are not limited to:

-Financial Interests: Funding, grants, or employment by an organization with a vested interest in the research outcome.

- Personal or Professional Relationships: Relationships with co-authors, competitors, or organizations that may bias opinions or decision-making.

- Intellectual Property: Ownership of patents or inventions related to the research.

 

Disclosure Requirements

For Authors

Authors are required to disclose all potential conflicts of interest in their manuscript's “Conflict of Interest” section. This includes, but is not limited to, funding sources, affiliations, financial interests, and personal relationships. If no conflicts exist, authors should state, “The authors declare no conflicts of interest.”

For Reviewers

Reviewers should withdraw from reviewing a manuscript if they feel unable to provide an objective assessment due to a conflict of interest. They are also required to disclose any potential conflicts to the Editorial Office and decline the review if an unbiased evaluation would be compromised.

For Editors

Editors must disclose any conflicts of interest that may affect their handling of submissions. Editors with a conflict will step away from decision-making on the relevant manuscript, which will then be reassigned to a qualified editorial team member.

 

Management of Conflicts

The IJOIR Editorial Office will review disclosed conflicts of interest to determine whether any reported COI may influence the scientific record's integrity. In cases of undisclosed conflicts, further investigation may be conducted, potentially resulting in corrections, retractions, or other actions as needed.

 

Contact for COI Queries

Questions or disclosures regarding conflicts of interest should be directed to the Editorial Office at info@ijoir.gov.iq. The IJOIR team remains committed to transparency and maintaining high standards of integrity in research and publication.