Journal always asks authors to declare their conflict of interest. So is it ethical to invite someone who have a conflict of interest in the same paper to the review process??
If some of reviewers have a conflict of interest with my paper, how they will accept my paper?
Dear Samer,
To a large extent, the process depends on the discretion of the managing editor for your target publication. Ideally, they should be aware of potential conflicts of interest for both the author and any potential reviewers.
Please note, however, differences in academic thought would not necessarily be considered a conflict of interest per se. In fact, managing editors routinely invite reviewers with contradictory points of view to understand potential gaps or alternative interpretations. This is okay. This may potentially be frustrating and/or anxiety provoking for the author, but it opens up an opportunity to have an intellectual debate on a topic.
If you feel a reviewer has a conflict of interest beyond differences in academic thought, you may consider raising your concern with the managing editor.
Hope this helps! Best wishes for a smooth and successful publication journey.
Best regards,
Hamed Bazaz | Founder, Managing Director | www.journaledit.com
Is there any clear policy for the reviewer regarding bias or conflect of interest?
I'm afraid there is no universal policy, it is entirely dependent on the journal and/or publisher.
Here is an example of a journal that publishes a policy on their website:
https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-systems-and-software/policies/conflict-of-interest-guidelines-for-reviewers
Many journals do not have a clear written policy.
Best regards,
Hamed Bazaz | Founder, Managing Director | www.journaledit.com
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