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Publication Ethics Statement

The Journal of African Policy Studies is committed to publishing high-quality peer-reviewed scholarship. The journal editors oversee the review process, and each submission undergoes review by at least two qualified peers. This statement on publication ethics articulates the expectations of the journal.

Authorship

Authors must be able to demonstrate that they have contributed to the entire manuscript and have attributed work appropriately to relevant coauthors or contributors. All persons who qualify for authorship must be named as authors and be able to take public responsibility for the content. Articles must be original works of scholarship. The corresponding author must affirm that their submission is not under consideration or review for publication elsewhere. Authors must agree to address feedback from editors and peer reviewers. Authors must affirm that they have cited all sources and retained reproduction rights for any images, photos, figures, music, data, or other types of content credited to a third party that fall outside of fair use provisions described in U.S. copyright law.

Authors must also disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest at the time of submission and/or at any other point in the publication process at which awareness of any conflict or potential conflict occurs.

Editorial Responsibilities

Editors of the journal must adhere to editorial principles and practices that conform to the conventions in the field or fields represented in the journal’s content. The editors, editorial board, advisory board, and contact information must be available on the journal’s website.

Peer Review

All research articles published in the journal undergo formal peer review. Other publication types such as editorials, commentaries, and book reviews are subject to journal review policies. Publication decisions are made following an unbiased and timely review process. Editors must secure peer review from at least two qualified peer reviewers of all original research articles.

Corrections/Amendments

Amendments to published articles will be made if they affect the integrity and accuracy of the scholarly record. Formal notifications will be published on the article’s metadata landing page. Amendments may be classified as one of the following:

• Erratum: An error introduced by the publisher that affects the integrity of the scholarly record, the reputation of the author(s), or the reputation of the journal.
• Corrigendum: An error introduced by the author(s) that affects the integrity of the scholarly record, the reputation of the author(s), or the reputation of the journal.
• Retraction: Withdrawal of a published paper due to invalid results or conclusions.

A sole author of an article may request an amendment; for articles published by multiple authors, all authors must agree to the request. Alternatively, an editor may consult with associate editors or editorial board members and, as necessary, peer reviewers to select the appropriate amendment; the published amendment must indicate the dissent of any authors.

Ethical Oversight and Addressing Unethical Behavior

Authors and editors must adhere to the publishing ethics outlined in this statement. Unethical practices include but are not limited to plagiarism, authorship falsification, falsification or fabrication of research, redundant or duplicate publication, peer review manipulation, and failure to disclose conflicts of interest. Evidence of misconduct will result in steps to correct the scholarly record, which may include issuing a correction or retraction.