Ethical Standards and Best Practices

Authorship and Integrity
AJLII upholds the highest standards of academic and research integrity. Authors are required to provide full disclosure of the following:

  • Funding sources supporting the research

  • Use of AI-assisted writing tools, detailing the nature and extent of assistance

  • Competing interests, including institutional, financial, or personal affiliations that may influence the work

Ethics approval is mandatory for any study involving:

  • Human participants

  • Indigenous community knowledge

  • Sensitive cultural materials

Plagiarism and Research Misconduct
The journal enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy on plagiarism, data falsification, and ethical violations. A tiered sanctions system applies:

  • First violation: Two-year publication ban

  • Second violation: Lifetime blacklist and formal notification to:

    • The author’s home institution

    • AfLIA (African Library and Information Associations and Institutions)

    • CODESRIA (Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa)

Editorial Accountability
To maintain transparency and trust in the editorial process, the AJLII Editorial Board commits to the following practices:

  • Publication of an annual transparency report covering:

    • Submission demographics by region

    • Review turnaround times

    • Gender balance in authorship

  • Establishment of a grievance and appeals mechanism:

    • All appeals are reviewed by an independent ombudsperson

    • A formal 21-day response guarantee is observed