The Andalas Law Journal is committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical conduct in research and publication. To ensure that all published research complies with relevant ethical guidelines, we have established clear mechanisms for ethical oversight. This policy aligns with the recommendations provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). For more information, please refer to COPE’s resources.

Compliance with Ethical Standards

Authors submitting manuscripts to the Andalas Law Journal must ensure their research complies with all relevant ethical standards and legal requirements, particularly when involving human participants, animals, or sensitive data.

• Human Research: For research involving human participants, authors must ensure that their study has been approved by an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board (IRB). Authors must also confirm that informed consent has been obtained from all participants and that the study complies with the Declaration of Helsinki and other relevant guidelines.
• Animal Research: For research involving animals, authors must ensure that the study complies with applicable laws and guidelines for the ethical treatment of animals. This includes obtaining approval from an appropriate ethics committee and adhering to the principles outlined in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals or equivalent guidelines.
• Sensitive Data: When research involves sensitive personal data, authors must ensure that all necessary precautions are taken to protect the privacy and confidentiality of participants. This includes anonymizing data where appropriate and obtaining consent for data collection and use.

Ethical Review Process

The Andalas Law Journal requires that all submitted manuscripts include a statement confirming ethical approval or explaining why ethical approval was not required. The journal reserves the right to request additional information or documentation related to ethical oversight.

• Ethical Approval Statement: Authors must include a clear statement in their manuscript detailing the ethical approval obtained for the research, including the name of the ethics committee or IRB, the approval reference number, and a summary of the consent process.
• Exceptions: If the research did not require ethical approval, authors must provide a justification, and the editorial board will review this explanation to ensure it meets the journal’s standards.

Handling Ethical Issues

If any ethical concerns are raised during the peer review or publication process, the Andalas Law Journal will take appropriate action to investigate and address these concerns. This may involve:

• Consultation with Experts: The journal may consult with independent ethics experts or the relevant ethics committee to assess the validity of the concerns.
• Editorial Decisions: Based on the investigation's findings, the journal may take actions such as issuing corrections, retractions, or expressions of concern, depending on the severity of the ethical issue.
• Notification: If an ethical breach is confirmed, the journal may notify the authors’ institutions, relevant ethics committees, or other appropriate authorities.

Post-Publication Ethical Oversight

The Andalas Law Journal is committed to ongoing ethical oversight and may continue to monitor published research for compliance with ethical standards. If any ethical issues are identified post-publication, the journal will take necessary actions to address them.

• Corrections and Retractions: The journal will issue corrections, retractions, or other notices as required to maintain the integrity of the academic record.
• Continual Review: The editorial board will periodically review the journal’s ethical oversight policies to ensure they remain up-to-date and effective.

Transparency and Accountability

The Andalas Law Journal aims to maintain transparency and accountability in all aspects of ethical oversight. We encourage authors, reviewers, and readers to report any ethical concerns they may have regarding published research.

For more guidance on ethical oversight, please refer to the COPE website.