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Authorship in Research

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Q: What do the terms "lead author" and "co-author" mean?

Detailed question-Who can qualify to be the lead author of a paper? Who can be a co-author? What do these terms exactly refer to?
  • Asked on December 12, 2014

4 Answers

In a research paper with multiple authors, one author is designated as the lead author. He/she:

Takes the overall responsibility for…
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Q: How to draft the authorship contribution statement

Detailed question-The journal requires that I should provide an "Authorship Contribution" statement when I submit my paper. But the journal website does not provide any template or…
  • Asked on May 26, 2015

1 Answer

Many journals ask for a statement mentioning the individual contributions of authors in a multi-author paper. While some journals provide…

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Q: Who should be the last author on a research paper?

Detailed question-What is the value of the last position of an author? I have already read the guidelines of International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and some of the…

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The convention followed in the order of authors is field specific. In the life sciences, for example, the first author is the author who…

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Q: Can the corresponding authors and order of authors be changed in the revised paper?

Detailed question-Hi, I have a problem. I have finally managed to get my paper accepted with minor revisions. However, my professor suddenly requires me to change the corresponding…

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Generally speaking, journals should not have any problem with changing the order of authors as long as all the authors agree with this…

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Q: Can I be the corresponding author as well as the main author for my first submission?

Detailed question-I am a resident at a university hospital and am in the middle of preparing a manuscript for my future career. My professor is busy with his work and has been entrusted…
  • Asked on August 24, 2017

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There is nothing wrong in the first author or lead author being the corresponding author as well. In fact, for single author papers, that…

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Q: Can I change the first author of my journal article after submission?

Detailed question-The paper I submitted to an SCI journal has almost been accepted. I am at the minor revisions stage. Would it be okay to change the first author at this stage? It is in…
  • Asked on February 23, 2017

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This is not an ideal situation. I am assuming that you are the submitting author, i.e., the author who submitted the paper on behalf of…

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Q: Is it acceptable to list multiple affiliations as an author?

Detailed question-I have a question about writing affiliations for a medical manuscript. I am currently working for University Hospital A and attending University Graduate School B at the…
  • Asked on March 24, 2015

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It is quite acceptable to list two affiliations in a paper. Typically, the purpose of listing affiliations is to make sure readers know…

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Q: How can I get the acceptance letter for a paper which I have co-authored?

Detailed question-My paper is accepted in a journal. I am a coworker. Can you please suggest how to write an email to the editor requesting my acceptance letter (by providing a sample…

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Your question is not very clear. I suppose when you say you are a “coworker,” you mean you are a coauthor of the paper. Also, I think you…

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Q: Can I submit a paper without informing my co-author?

Detailed question-I wrote a manuscript to submit it to a journal and I cannot let my supervisor know about it because he doesn't show any interest in it. But I want to publish this work…
  • Asked on June 12, 2017

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No, you cannot publish an article without informing your co-author and getting their approval. This is highly unethical, and can be…

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Q: Is there a limitation to the maximum number of co-authors on a paper?

Detailed question-Is there a limitation for the number of authors and co authors for a single research?

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There is no limitation to the number of co-authors on a paper. However, it is important to ensure that all of them have contributed in…

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