Every author must make a meaningful contribution to all three of the following aspects:
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The conception and design of the research, data collection, or data analysis and interpretation.
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Drafting the manuscript or critically revising it to ensure substantial intellectual content.
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Final approval of the version of the manuscript to be submitted for publication.
In addition, every author is accountable for all aspects of the work. Authors must ensure that any questions regarding the accuracy or integrity of the research are thoroughly investigated and resolved.
Journal editors generally do not accept changes to authorship after a manuscript has been submitted. Therefore, authors should carefully consider the list and order of authors before submission and provide the finalized author list with the initial submission.
The journal’s policy on changes to authorship is as follows:
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All authors must be listed in the manuscript, and their details must be entered into the submission system.
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Changes to the author list, including additions, removals, or changes to the order of authors, may only be made before the manuscript is accepted and must be approved by the journal editor.
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Requests for changes must be submitted by the relevant author, together with an explanation of the reasons for the changes.
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Requests must also include written confirmation from all authors, including any authors being added or removed, stating their agreement to the proposed changes.
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Changes after manuscript acceptance will only be considered under exceptional circumstances.
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The publication process may be delayed while a request for changes is under review.
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If the editor approves an authorship change after publication, the journal will issue a correction.
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Unauthorized changes to authorship that do not follow the proper procedures may result in manuscript rejection. If the article has already been published, it may be retracted.