Authorship and Contributorship

Accesso Journal upholds a clear and transparent policy on authorship and contributions, ensuring that the roles and responsibilities of each contributor to a scholarly work are properly acknowledged. This policy is designed to promote accountability, prevent misunderstandings, and safeguard the integrity of the publication process.

The journal is also committed to addressing any potential authorship disputes promptly, fairly, and objectively. This policy is in line with the guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) . This approach not only protects the rights of authors but also ensures that the resulting scholarly publications reflect honest collaboration, transparency, and adherence to the highest academic standards.

Authorship is not merely a form of recognition; it also carries academic, social, and financial implications, as well as responsibility for the published work.

Definitions:

  • Author: An individual who has made substantial intellectual contributions to the research and manuscript.

  • Contributor: An individual who has played a role in the research or writing but does not meet all authorship criteria, yet still deserves acknowledgment.

Prohibited Authorship Practices:

  • Guest/Honorary Authorship: Listing an individual who does not meet authorship criteria, often due to position, reputation, or relationship.

  • Ghost Authorship: Failing to list as an author someone who has actually made a significant contribution and qualifies for authorship, or failing to acknowledge individuals (such as professional expert writers) who assisted in writing or preparing the manuscript..

  • Authorship Denial: Excluding someone who actually meets authorship criteria.

Accesso Journal emphasizes the importance of transparency in describing each individual’s role.

1. Policy 

Authorship Criteria
All authors must meet all four of the following criteria (adapted from ICMJE):

  1. Significant contribution to the design, data collection, analysis, or interpretation.

  2. Drafting or critically revising the manuscript for important intellectual content.

  3. Final approval of the version to be published.

  4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Non-Author Contributors (Acknowledgments)
Recognized contributions may include funding, general supervision, technical or administrative support, data collection, or provision of research materials. Written consent is required from all acknowledged individuals.

Author Order
The order of authors should be agreed upon by all authors before submission. Accesso Journal does not determine the sequence but may request an explanation for the chosen order.

Corresponding Author
One author will be designated to handle all communications with the journal, ensure compliance with authorship criteria, verify author details, coordinate revisions, and respond to post-publication inquiries.

Changes to Authorship
Requests to change author names or order after submission must include a clear rationale and written consent from all involved. Post-acceptance changes will only be considered under exceptional circumstances.

Contribution Statements
Authors are encouraged to specify each individual’s contributions, for example, using the CRediT Taxonomy framework.

Prohibition of Unethical Practices
The journal strictly prohibits gift, guest, honorary, and ghost authorship. Writing assistance that does not meet authorship criteria must be explicitly acknowledged, including funding sources.

Group Authorship
If submitted by a consortium, the group name may be listed, but members who meet authorship criteria must be clearly identified.

2. Policy Implementation and Dispute Resolution

  • Authorship Declaration Form: The corresponding author must confirm compliance with authorship criteria and secure agreement from all authors.

  • Preventing Disputes: Discuss roles, order, and contributions early in the project and document the agreements.

  • Pre-Publication Disputes: To be resolved among the authors or relevant institutions; the journal may delay processing until resolution.

  • Post-Publication Disputes: Investigated following COPE guidelines and may result in corrections, expressions of concern, or retraction.

3. Accountability and Compliance

All authors are responsible for the integrity of the work. By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm the accuracy of their stated contributions and compliance with institutional and funding requirements.

 

This policy ensures fairness, transparency, and accountability in authorship and contribution acknowledgment and grants Accesso Journal the right to request clarifications whenever necessary.