Eligibility for Authorship: Authorship should be limited to those who have made significant contributions to the research process. This includes contributions to:
The conception and design of the research.
The acquisition of data.
The analysis and interpretation of data.
Drafting or critically revising the manuscript for intellectual content.
Final approval of the version to be published.
Accountability for all aspects of the research, ensuring that questions about the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.
Order of Authors: The order of authorship should reflect the extent of each contributor's involvement in the research and writing process. The order should be agreed upon by all co-authors before submission, with the first author being the individual who has made the most significant contribution, and the corresponding author managing the submission and communications with the journal.
Corresponding Author: The corresponding author is the individual responsible for managing the manuscript submission process, including responding to reviewers’ comments, submitting the revised manuscript, and ensuring that all co-authors are in agreement with the manuscript content.
2. Contributor Acknowledgments
Acknowledgment of Non-Authors: Individuals who have made significant contributions to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged in the "Acknowledgments" section of the manuscript. These may include those who provided technical assistance, funding, or expert advice.
Funding Sources: All funding sources should be disclosed in the Acknowledgments section. This includes grants, scholarships, and financial support received to carry out the research.
3. Ghost and Guest Authorship
Ghost Authorship: Ghost authorship refers to individuals who have made substantial contributions to the research but are not listed as authors. This practice is considered unethical, and ghost authors should be properly acknowledged.
Guest Authorship: Guest authorship refers to individuals who are listed as authors but have not made substantial contributions to the work. Guest authorship is also unethical, and only those who meet the criteria for authorship should be included.
4. Changes to Authorship
Addition or Removal of Authors: Any changes to the list of authors (e.g., adding or removing authors) after manuscript submission must be made in consultation with all authors and require their written agreement. These changes should be communicated to the journal and approved by the editorial team before publication.
Author Responsibilities: All authors are collectively responsible for the manuscript content. Any author who has not contributed sufficiently to the work should not be listed as an author.
