Conflicts of Interest
All declarations of conflicts of interest, acknowledgments, and notes on contributors are readily accessible for viewing on all articles and books on the SciFormat Publishing website.
SciFormat Publishing defines a conflict of interest as a situation in which an individual or organization has competing interests, financial or otherwise, which may potentially influence their motivation. The presence of a conflict of interest is independent of the occurrence of impropriety (Handling competing interests).
For Authors
Complete disclosure is required when authors submit their manuscripts or chapters to SciFormat Publishing press. The editor will first use this information for editorial decisions and may publish such disclosures to assist readers in evaluating the article or choose not to publish the article or book due to any declared conflict. The author can disclose any conflict of interest in the cover letter or on the manuscript submission form in the journal or book's online peer-review system. The author should also include a relevant disclosure statement in the text of the article, chapter, or book, along with any acknowledgments and funding details. If no disclosure is made, we will publish the statement: “Author(s) reported no conflict of interest.”
For Reviewers
Before reviewing the manuscript, reviewers should familiarize themselves with the journal's or book's peer review process. They should then decide whether to review the article, chapter, or book while adhering to the COPE principles outlined in A Short Guide to Ethical Editing for New Editors.
If there are any circumstances, facts, or actions that may impact the transparency of the article, chapter, or book assessment, the reviewer should decline to review the manuscript. If there is a potential conflict of interest, the reviewer should inform the Editor or Handling Editor and consult with them.
Reviewers should not use the article, chapter, or book for personal gain and should not share it with third parties without obtaining prior permission from the SciFormat Publishing press. After reviewing the article, chapter, or book, the physical manuscript should be destroyed, and the electronic version should be deleted from all electronic storage media.
For Editorial Board
Founders are prohibited from publishing their book manuscripts, chapters, or work in any journal published by SciFormat Publishing. If the Editor or Editorial Board Member is the author of a manuscript submitted to the journal they serve, they cannot participate in the peer review process or decision-making procedure regarding their own work.
Editorial Board Members or Editors should act in the best interests of the journal and SciFormat Publishing press, and make decisions based on the reliability and importance of the work for the reader. They should also maintain the confidentiality of the author and reviewers (keep manuscripts and related materials and information strictly confidential). Editorial Board Members and Editors should not discuss or use the materials or ideas from the manuscript before publication.
Editors who make final decisions on manuscripts should not make editorial and publication decisions if they have a conflict of interest related to manuscripts under consideration. Editorial Board should not use information obtained while working with manuscripts for personal gain.