ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP POLICY

The Link journal of Speech, Language and Audiology (JSLA) maintain strict ethical standards for advertising and sponsorship to protect editorial independence, reader trust, and the integrity of the scholarly record. Any advertising or sponsorship activity associated with the journal must remain transparent, clearly distinguishable from editorial content, and fully independent from manuscript evaluation, peer review, and editorial decision-making. JSLA treats advertising as a limited, controlled activity that must not compromise the journal’s scientific mission or create real or perceived conflicts of interest.

Advertising Policy

1.1 Acceptance of Advertising

JSLA may accept limited, non-intrusive advertising that is appropriate for an academic health journal and relevant to the journal’s scope and readership, such as notices related to health sciences, research and academic tools, reputable conferences, training and educational services, and ethically marketed health-related products. All advertisements are subject to review and approval through the journal’s publishing administration to ensure alignment with applicable legal requirements and ethical standards. The journal reserves the right to decline any advertisement at its discretion, including where relevance, accuracy, tone, or reputational risk is a concern.

1.2 No Influence on Editorial Decisions

Advertising and sponsorship do not influence the editorial process in any form. Editorial decisions are based solely on scientific merit, ethical compliance, relevance to the journal’s scope, and the quality and clarity of reporting. Acceptance or rejection of manuscripts is not affected by whether an author, institution, advertiser, or sponsor has any commercial relationship with the journal or its publisher. This separation is maintained to ensure impartial peer review and to protect the credibility of JSLA’s editorial governance.

Types of Advertising Allowed

Where advertising is accepted, it may appear in formats that do not interfere with reading and do not create ambiguity between editorial and commercial content. Acceptable formats may include website banner placements, clearly labeled announcements, conference notifications, training or workshop promotions, and limited promotional placements that are relevant to the journal’s audience. Any advertising displayed by JSLA must remain professional, evidence-respecting, and consistent with the standards expected in scholarly publishing.

Prohibited Advertising

JSLA does not accept advertising that conflicts with medical and public health ethics, violates applicable law, or risks misleading readers. This includes advertising for tobacco products, alcohol promotion, illicit or unsafe drugs, political or religious campaigning, misleading or non-evidence-based health claims, unverified medical treatments, products or services that violate applicable Pakistani law, and questionable or predatory publishing or conference activity. The journal also rejects advertising that is deceptive, sensationalized, discriminatory, or inconsistent with the professional expectations of an academic journal. Where uncertainty exists, JSLA applies a precautionary approach and may reject the advertisement to protect readers and the journal’s reputation.

Editorial & Advertising Separation

JSLA maintains a strict separation between editorial functions and advertising management to prevent conflicts of interest. Advertising decisions and administrative handling are managed independently of the editorial team, and editors do not participate in advertising selection, pricing, or placement. Advertising content is not inserted into peer review files, reviewer materials, editorial evaluation documents, or author correspondence related to editorial decisions. Advertising is also not placed within the body of scholarly articles, so that commercial content does not appear to be endorsed by authors or by the journal.

Sponsored Content / Supplements

If JSLA publishes sponsored supplements, special issues, or externally supported collections, the journal applies the same editorial standards, peer review procedures, and ethical checks used for regular issues. Sponsorship is disclosed clearly at the issue level and, where relevant, at the article level so that readers can understand the nature of the support. Editorial leadership retains full authority over content selection, peer review outcomes, and publication decisions, and sponsors are not permitted to influence editorial policies, reviewer selection, or acceptance decisions. Where a special issue is guest edited, the journal applies conflict-of-interest controls and independent oversight consistent with its peer review and editorial independence policies.

Transparency

JSLA requires that all advertising and sponsorship content be clearly labeled and visually distinct from editorial content. Advertisements are displayed in non-intrusive areas of the journal platform and are presented in a manner that avoids confusion with scholarly material. The journal does not place advertisements inside academic articles and does not design advertising in a way that mimics editorial content, author communications, or peer review notices.

Advertising Fees

If advertising fees apply, they are managed by the publisher as an administrative matter and are not linked to editorial evaluation or publishing outcomes. Fee information may be provided upon request through the journal office, and all discussions regarding advertising placements and charges are handled separately from manuscript processing and editorial correspondence.

Complaints About Advertisements

Concerns or complaints about advertising content, including claims of misleading information, inappropriate placement, or perceived conflict with journal standards, may be submitted to the journal at editor@jsla.com. JSLA reviews such concerns promptly and may remove or revise advertisements where warranted to protect readers and uphold ethical publishing standards.