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</div> <div class="hero__bottom"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="page-main"> <div class="page-main__row"> <div class="page-main__col"> <main> <section id="content" class="region region-content"> <div id="block-system-main" class="block block-system clearfix"> <div class="content"> <div class="node-case node node-case view-mode-full "> <div class="node-case__left node-case__fields"> <div class="field field--short"> <div class="field-label">Case number:</div> <div class="field-item">24-16</div> </div> </div> <div class="node-case__body"> <div class="sidebar sidebar--offset"> <div class="sidebar__body"> <div class="node-case__fields"> <div class="field field-name-field-anonymised-text-of-the-ca field-type-text-long field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Case text (Anonymised): </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Recently we published an article online. A scholar wrote to us saying that their name is not included in the author list but that they had made contributions to the article. They therefore requested us to add their name to the author list. They are currently mentioned only in the Acknowledgements section of the article.</p> <p>We contacted the corresponding author of the article, who insisted that there was no need to add the scholar to the author list, and stated that the article authorship was defined according to the requirements of the ICMJE.</p> <p>We informed the scholar that they could not be added as an author. However, they still insisted on their eligibility and explained what they had contributed to the article (for example, updating the list of references and abbreviations, and writing a paragraph based on an article authored by them). We suggested that they communicate with the authors and reach an agreement, or contact the institution(s) where the work was performed to resolve the authorship dispute. We explained that only if all authors agree in writing, can we add them as an author. This person says that they cannot contact the corresponding author and does not know the other authors, who are at different institutions to their own. They think that our journal is acting unfairly and is not defending their rights. </p> <p><em>Questions for the Forum:</em></p> <ul> <li>How can publishers protect the rights of authors in response to such disputes?</li> <li>What should publishers value when the facts are not clear?</li> <li>Does COPE have any better suggestions or opinions on this case?<br /> </li> </ul> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-advice field-type-text-long field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Advice: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><i>Advice on this follow-up is from a small number of COPE Council Members. Most cases on the COPE website are presented to the </i><a href="https://publicationethics.org/copeforum"><b><i>COPE Forum</i></b></a><i> where advice is offered by a group of COPE Members and COPE Council Members. Advice on individual cases is not formal COPE guidance.</i></p> <p>The Forum agreed that the publisher has handled this situation correctly by following COPE guidance on authorship. It is not the publisher’s role to make judgements on authorship; only authors’ institutions are able to examine what happened in the production of the article. The fact that this putative author is not willing to engage with the institution is in itself a warning sign. The journal should ensure that the criteria for authorship are made clear in their author instructions, whether that is the <a href="https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html">ICMJE guidelines</a>, <a href="https://credit.niso.org/">NISO’s CRediT taxonomy</a>, or some other system.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-resolution field-type-list-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Resolution: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Case Closed</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-9 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Year: </div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/4478">2024</a></div></div></div><div class="field field--classifications field--short"><div class="field-label">Core practices:</div><div class="item-list"><ul><li class="first last"><a href="/authorship" title="View all "Authorship and contributorship" content">Authorship and contributorship</a></li> </ul></div></div> </div> <aside class="sidebar__aside"> <div class="sidebar__aside__col"> <div class="sidebar__aside__inner"> <div class="contextual-links-region"><h3>COPE Forum</h3><div class="entity entity-bean bean-editable"> <div > <div class="field field-name-field-block-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>COPE Members:<br /> do you have a publication ethics case and need help with next steps?<br /> <a href="https://publicationethics.org/copeforum">Submit your case</a></p> <p>Registration is now open for the 9 December Forum where new cases are discussed. 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