Formatting APS Journal Articles :: Credits Section
Sometimes authors have potential conflicts of interests regarding the results found in their study and their personal/professional life. For example, an author may have a paper demonstrating that a particular product is superior to any others tested, which is perfectly good research, yet the author holds stock in the company that sells and distributes the product. Perhaps there are monetary interests: the authors have constructed an entirely new, helpful device, and they are seeking to patent it. Finally, the authors may have beautiful results and a fine scientific study--but their materials and funding were provided by a private company, and the authors do not have permission to publish their findings without that company's approval.
Authors of research articles are required at the time of submission to disclose to the APS Publications Office any potential conflicts of interest (e.g., consultancies, stock ownership, equity interests, patent licensing arrangements, lack of access to data, or lack of control of the decision to publish). In such cases, they are asked to fill out a Conflict of Interest Disclosure form. The information provided in the form or disclosed in the submitted article is held in confidence while the paper is under review. If the article is accepted for publication, information on the potential conflict of interest (including a lack of control of the decision to publish) is then included in the Disclosures.
Information that should be placed in the Disclosures can be found within the text provided by the author or on an orange sheet in the manuscript folder.
Title any disclosures as "Disclosures" as a level 1 header after any Note Added in Proof and the Acknowledgements, Grants, and Disclaimer, respectively.
Do not edit the disclosures; quote them verbatim as provided by the author.