OA Text is committed to ensuring that research is as free from bias

Competing interest

Competing interest as anything that exists when an author (or the author's institution), reviewer, or editor has financial or personal relationships with other persons or organizations that inappropriately influence (bias) his or her actions. It is difficult for readers to assess the objectivity, integrity or perceived conflict of interest of a publication. So this is necessary to maintain transparency of competing interests, which allows readers to better evaluate the possibility of such bias. Competing interests can be financial or non-financial, professional, or personal. Competing interests can arise when the author’s interpretation of data or presentation of information may be influenced with other people or organizations by their personal or financial relationship. The author, reviewer and editor should declared the below statement while considering any manuscript for publication.

  • Author: Authors must declare all relevant financial or non-financial, professional, or personal competing interests for consideration during the review process.
  • Reviewer: reviewers must declare their own financial or non-financial, professional, or personal competing interests and if necessary disqualify themselves from involvement in the assessment of manuscript.
  • Editor: Editors must declare their own financial or non-financial, professional, or personal competing interests and if necessary disqualify themselves from involvement in the assessment of manuscript.

For guidance, we encourage authors and editors to consult the NSF’s Conflict of Interest Policies.

Manuscripts authored or co-authored by Editors-in-Chief will be handled by alternate editors with no involvement of the Editor-in-Chief in the review or editorial process.