JKPK (Jurnal Kimia dan Pendidikan Kimia) is committed to maintaining transparency, objectivity, and integrity throughout the scholarly publication process. The journal recognizes that financial, professional, institutional, personal, or other interests may influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, the conduct, evaluation, interpretation, and publication of scientific research. Accordingly, JKPK requires authors, reviewers, and editors to disclose relevant conflicts of interest and ensure that such interests do not compromise research integrity or editorial independence. This policy follows the principles and recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Definition and Types of Conflicts of Interest
A conflict of interest, also referred to as a competing interest, arises when an individual's financial or non-financial interests could influence, or reasonably be perceived to influence, their professional judgment or responsibilities in the research and publication process. Conflicts may be actual, potential, or perceived and may include:
- Financial Interests: Research funding, employment, consultancy fees, honoraria, stock ownership, patents, royalties, or commercial sponsorship.
- Professional Interests: Research collaborations, academic competition, supervisory relationships, or professional associations that may affect impartiality.
- Institutional Interests: Relationships with universities, research institutions, funding organizations, or commercial entities that may influence research or editorial decisions.
- Personal Interests: Family relationships, close friendships, personal disputes, or other relationships that may compromise objective judgment.
- Intellectual and Non-Financial Interests: Strong intellectual commitments, advisory positions, advocacy activities, or other interests that may affect the independent evaluation of research.
The existence of a conflict of interest does not necessarily indicate unethical conduct. However, relevant interests must be disclosed and appropriately managed to ensure transparency and maintain confidence in scholarly publications.
Responsibilities of Authors
All authors must disclose relevant financial and non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence the design, conduct, analysis, interpretation, or reporting of their research. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that appropriate disclosures are obtained from all co-authors and accurately reported during manuscript submission. Authors must also disclose relevant funding sources and any involvement of sponsors in the research or publication process. Such disclosures must be updated when relevant circumstances change before publication.
JKPK requires a conflict-of-interest declaration in every submitted manuscript. When no relevant competing interests exist, authors should include the following statement:
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial or non-financial interests that could have influenced the work reported in this article.
Where competing interests exist, authors must clearly describe their nature and relationship to the reported research. Funding information should be reported separately where required, while funding arrangements that create competing interests must also be appropriately disclosed.
Responsibilities of Reviewers and Editors
Reviewers must disclose any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest before accepting a manuscript evaluation. Reviewers whose financial, professional, institutional, or personal relationships could compromise their impartiality must decline the review assignment or seek guidance from the editorial team. All evaluations must be based on scientific merit, methodological quality, originality, and relevance rather than competing interests.
Editors and Editorial Board members must similarly disclose relevant conflicts and refrain from handling manuscripts in which their independence could reasonably be questioned. Manuscripts submitted by editors, close collaborators, or individuals with significant personal or professional relationships must be assigned to an independent editor. Editorial decisions must remain free from inappropriate institutional, financial, personal, or commercial influence.
Disclosure and Management of Conflicts of Interest
JKPK evaluates disclosed conflicts of interest according to their nature, relevance, and potential influence on research integrity or editorial independence. Depending on the circumstances, the editorial team may request additional disclosures, seek clarification, appoint independent reviewers, reassign editorial responsibilities, or require relevant individuals to withdraw from the evaluation or decision-making process. Where serious concerns arise, further assessment or investigation may be necessary.
Disclosure of a conflict of interest does not automatically result in manuscript rejection. Editorial decisions will be based on the scientific quality of the research, the significance of the competing interests, and the effectiveness of measures taken to maintain impartiality and transparency.
Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest and Post-Publication Actions
When an undisclosed conflict of interest is identified during review or after publication, JKPK will assess its significance and potential implications for research integrity and editorial independence. The journal may request clarification, additional documentation, or an independent assessment before determining appropriate action. Authors and other concerned parties will be given a reasonable opportunity to respond.
For published articles, an incomplete or inaccurate disclosure may require a formal correction. Where undisclosed interests are associated with serious concerns regarding research reliability or publication integrity, further action may be taken in accordance with JKPK's Allegations of Research Misconduct and Correction and Retraction policies. Retraction will not be based solely on the existence of an undisclosed conflict unless the circumstances meet the relevant criteria for retraction.
Reporting, Confidentiality, and Editorial Integrity
Concerns regarding potential conflicts of interest may be reported to the JKPK Editorial Office at jkpk@fkip.uns.ac.id. Reports should identify the relevant manuscript or published article, describe the suspected conflict, and provide supporting information where available. All concerns will be evaluated objectively, confidentially, and in accordance with principles of procedural fairness. Individuals involved will be afforded an appropriate opportunity to provide clarification, while editors with relevant conflicts must not participate in the assessment or decision-making process.
JKPK remains committed to maintaining transparent disclosure practices, independent editorial judgments, and responsible management of competing interests. This policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure continued alignment with internationally recognized publication ethics standards and developments in scholarly publishing.
