Frontiers Authorship Change Form

Frontiers, a leading open-access publisher, has established clear guidelines for managing authorship changes in its journals. These protocols are designed to uphold the integrity of academic publishing and ensure that all contributors are appropriately acknowledged for their work. Understanding the procedures and policies surrounding authorship changes is crucial for researchers submitting to Frontiers journals.

Authorship Change Form Purpose and Requirements

To facilitate any modifications to the author list such as adding, removing, or reordering authors Frontiers mandates the completion of anAuthorship Change Form. This form serves several key purposes

• Documentation of ConsentIt ensures that all authors, including those being added or removed, consent to the proposed changes.
• Verification of ContributionsAuthors must confirm that they meet the criteria for authorship as outlined by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
• Agreement to Author ContributionsAuthors must agree to the final author contributions, conflict of interest declarations, and acknowledgments.

The form requires the signatures of all authors, either manually or through valid electronic signatures. It must be submitted in English, although signatures can be provided in Arabic or Chinese. The completed form should be submitted to the editorial office of the relevant journal for review and processing.

ICMJE Criteria for Authorship

According to the ICMJE guidelines, to qualify for authorship, an individual must

• Make substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work;
• Draft the work or revise it critically for important intellectual content;
• Provide final approval of the version to be published;
• Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Contributors who do not meet all four criteria should not be listed as authors but should be acknowledged in the acknowledgments section of the manuscript.

Policy on Authorship Changes

Frontiers has implemented a policy to address authorship changes post-submission. Under this policy, requests to modify the author list after submission are generally not accepted unless there are exceptional circumstances. Such requests are subject to a thorough assessment by the Frontiers Research Integrity Unit. A ledger of requests is maintained to identify suspicious patterns and trends among these types of requests. This policy aims to counteract unethical practices such as authorship-for-sale schemes and to uphold the integrity of the scientific record.

Requests to modify the author list after acceptance are typically denied, except in exceptional circumstances. In cases where authorship manipulation is suspected, Frontiers reserves the right to contact the authors’ institutions for further investigation and may decline the requested changes.

Procedure for Requesting Authorship Changes

To request an authorship change, the corresponding author should

1. Complete the Authorship Change Form, ensuring that all sections are accurately filled out.
2. Obtain the signatures of all authors, including those being added or removed.
3. Submit the completed form to the editorial office of the relevant journal.

It is important to note that any changes to the author list must be resolved before the manuscript proceeds to publication. Frontiers cannot proceed with the publication of a manuscript until any outstanding authorship issues have been resolved.

Best Practices for Managing Authorship

To avoid the need for post-submission authorship changes, researchers are encouraged to

• Ensure that all contributors who meet the ICMJE authorship criteria are included in the author list at the time of submission.
• Clearly define and agree upon the contributions of each author before submission.
• Maintain open communication among all co-authors throughout the research and writing process.
• Regularly review and update the author list as necessary to reflect the contributions of all involved.

By adhering to these practices, researchers can minimize the likelihood of authorship disputes and ensure a smooth publication process.

Understanding and adhering to Frontiers’ authorship change policies is essential for researchers seeking to publish in its journals. The Authorship Change Form serves as a vital tool for documenting and managing any modifications to the author list, ensuring that all contributors are appropriately recognized for their work. By following the established procedures and guidelines, researchers can uphold the integrity of the academic publishing process and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their respective fields.

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