Most journals expect authors to follow The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) criteria for Authorship1<\/sup>. Contributors who meet all the criteria defined by ICMJE can be listed as authors. Authors should have made all of the following contributions:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is considered unethical to list individuals who do not meet all the above criteria as authors. This would amount to scientific misconduct and unethical behavior. \u00a0Non-adherence to the authorship guidelines<\/a> can lead to retraction of the publication.<\/p>\n There are cases when researchers do not reach a consensus regarding the author list. It is advisable to approach the respective institutions for assistance in such situations.<\/p>\n In case there is ambiguity about authorship, it is best to contact the journal editorial team with their queries. The journal would then suggest the best approach. To learn more about issues related to ethics, it is best to follow the guidelines defined by\u00a0COPE<\/a>.<\/p>\n Also known as author disclosures, conflict of interest is when an individual is involved in certain activities or is with organizations, financially or otherwise, which might potentially affect the individual\u2019s professional decisions. Both\u00a0individuals and organizations can have conflicts of interests, and everyone related to the academic publication cycle (authors, editors, reviewers) is affected by it. The various types of conflict of interest have been outlined below. It is critical for authors to identify, disclose, and if possible, avoid all such issues.<\/p>\n Authors may share professional connections with editors and sometimes even reviewers. This might affect the assessment of the manuscript for said reasons. Therefore, it is important for authors as well as editors and reviewers to declare their interests.<\/p>\n Scientific collaborations usually mean that authors usually receive research grants or funding or any other form of financial support from organizations for the research conducted. It is critical that authors disclose any financial gains of this nature while submitting their manuscript as potential conflicts of interests.<\/p>\n Personal relationships, for obvious reasons, have an impact on the outcome of the research and eventually, the publication of the article. It is preferable to disclose any such relationships at the time of manuscript submission<\/a>. During the submission process, several journals provide authors with the option of suggesting or opposing reviewers provided the authors in order to avoid conflicts.<\/p>\n Authors are required to communicate with the journal\u2019s editorial staff during various stages of the manuscript submission process. It is essential for researchers to be able to communicate well with the editors and the journal staff. The communication should be well written and must have a professional tone. Many journals consider pre-submission inquiries. This is beneficial to the authors as they provide the authors with constructive feedback which would help them improvise the draft. Authors must include a proposed title<\/a>, a short abstract or summary of the research, outlining the significance and contribution of the research.<\/p>\n Cover letters form an integral part of the manuscript submission process. Authors should ensure to include details of conflicts of interest, ethical approval, and previous submissions or publications (if any).<\/p>\n All queries from the editorial team should be addressed in a straightforward manner so that all the issues highlighted are resolved.<\/p>\n Reference:<\/p>\n\n
Resolving Authorship Issues<\/h2>\n
Conflict of Interest<\/h2>\n
Professional Relationships<\/h2>\n
Commercial Relationships<\/h2>\n
Personal Relationships<\/h2>\n
Communicating with the Editor<\/h2>\n
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