Introduction: The International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences (IJCMAS) seeks to uphold the highest standards of integrity in academic publishing. In accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines, the following authorship policy has been crafted to ensure clarity, fairness, and responsibility in the attribution of credit for research contributions.
1. Criteria for Authorship: For an individual to be listed as an author, they must satisfy the following four criteria:
1.1. Significant Contributions: The individual must have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, data acquisition, or analysis and interpretation of the study.
1.2. Drafting & Critical Revision: They should have participated in drafting the article or revising it critically for essential intellectual content.
1.3. Approval: Every author must approve the version of the manuscript to be published, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of their contribution.
1.4. Accountability: Authors should be ready to take public responsibility for the content, ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately resolved.
2. Contributorship:
2.1. Those who have made notable contributions to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship can be acknowledged as contributors in the acknowledgment section.
2.2. The nature of the contribution should be specified, e.g., "data collection", "technical editing", etc.
3. Order of Authorship:
3.1. The sequence of authors should be a joint decision of the co-authors.
3.2. The corresponding author should be prepared to explain the order in which authors are listed, and each author's role.
4. Corresponding Author:
4.1. One author, referred to as the corresponding author, should be designated as the primary contact during the submission and review process.
4.2. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring all co-authors are included in the author list and have approved the finalized version of the manuscript and agreed to its submission for publication.
5. Changes to Authorship:
5.1. After manuscript submission, any change to the author list requires the agreement of all authors. This includes additions, deletions, or changes in the sequencing of author names.
5.2. The corresponding author should provide a reason for the change and written confirmation from all authors, including the author being added or removed.
6. Ethical Considerations:
6.1. "Gift" or "guest" authorships (authors added out of respect or affiliation, but who did not contribute to the research) are not permitted.
6.2. "Ghost" authorships (those who made significant contributions but are not credited) are considered unethical and should be avoided.
7. Disputes Over Authorship:
7.1. Disagreements over authorship should be resolved at the institutional level or by the research team itself.
7.2. If a dispute cannot be resolved, IJCMAS can provide guidance, but the final decision rests with the authors' affiliated institutions.
Conclusion: Ensuring proper authorship is fundamental to the academic and scientific integrity of the research published in IJCMAS. Adhering to this policy ensures transparency, fairness, and accountability in the publishing process.
Note: This policy will be reviewed periodically and may be updated to better align with COPE guidelines and the evolving norms of academic publishing.
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National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS)