Scientific manuscripts are rarely the work of one author. They are the result of complex collaborative relationships.
So when does someone receive credit as an author, and when are they considered a contributor?
Medical writers and editors need to know best practices for determining who should be identified as an author and who should receive acknowledgment in medical journals. This blog will outline industry guidelines for acknowledging authors and contributors and why accurately identifying roles is important when publishing the results of scientific research.
Understanding ICMJE Authorship Guidelines
Medical communicators don’t have to navigate authorship decisions alone. Clear industry guidance exists to help determine who should be listed as an author and who should be acknowledged for their contributions in scientific publications.
The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) offers widely accepted authorship guidelines for medical journals as part of its broader recommendations for ethical and transparent reporting and publishing of research. The guidelines clarify the roles and responsibilities of various collaborators, including authors, contributors, reviewers, editors, publishers, and owners.
The ICMJE guidelines are crafted for authors who submit work for publication in ICMJE member journals. However, many non-ICMJE journals have adopted similar guidelines. The ICMJE recommends that authors consult its guidelines while also following individual journals’ instructions.
Why Identifying Authorship Accurately Matters
Because authors play a significant role in research published in medical journals, it is important that they accurately receive credit. The authors' byline signifies that they are taking responsibility for the content. In the section of the ICMJE guidelines titled “Why Authorship Matters,” it states: “Authorship confers credit and has important academic, social, and financial implications.”
Other collaborators often play significant roles in the publication of medical research and should also have their contributions acknowledged. What makes someone an author vs a contributor? The ICMJE provides 4 criteria to clarify roles.
ICMJE Criteria for Authorship
In the "Who Is an Author?" section of its guidelines, the ICMJE says authorship involves
- “Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
- Drafting the work or reviewing it critically for important intellectual content; AND
- Final approval of the version to be published; AND
- Agreement 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.”
Individuals who meet all of these criteria should be identified as authors. If they don’t meet these criteria, they should be acknowledged as non-author contributors.
The ICMJE’s guidelines make it clear that authors and collaborators are responsible for deciding who meets the criteria for authorship, not journal editors. Similarly, the author group decides the order in which the authors are listed on the byline.
What if something changes? The guidelines state: “If authors request removal or addition of an author after manuscript submission or publication, journal editors should seek an explanation and signed statement of agreement for the requested change from all listed authors and from the author to be removed or added.”
The Role of the Corresponding Author
All authors have responsibilities for the published content, but the corresponding author is the one designated to communicate with the journal editor during the process of submission, peer review, and publication. The corresponding author needs to be available and accessible to fulfill administrative duties (including sharing authorship details), provide additional information, and answer queries or pass them along to coauthors.
Although the corresponding author is the main point of contact, the ICMJE recommends that all listed authors receive copies of correspondence from editors.
Acknowledging Non-author Contributors
When someone contributes to a manuscript but does not meet the 4 criteria for authorship, they should still receive recognition. According to the ICMJE, examples of contributions that warrant acknowledgment include
- Acquiring funding
- Supervision of a research group of general administrative support
- Writing assistance, technical or language editing, and proofreading
The ICMJE guidelines suggest recognizing contributors individually or under a heading like “Clinical Investigators” or “Participating Investigators.” The ICMJE advises that the corresponding author should obtain written permission from individuals before acknowledgement.
Collaborators' contributions should be specifically identified. The ICMJE provides these examples:
- "Served as scientific advisors"
- "Critically reviewed the study proposal"
- "Collected data"
- "Provided and cared for study patients"
- "Participated in writing or technical editing of the manuscript"
This last point often reflects the contributions of professional medical communicators to the publication of research results in medical and scientific journals.
Note that if artificial intelligence (AI) is used for writing assistance, this should also be indicated in the acknowledgement section. Many prominent science and health publications don’t allow AI to be named as an author, and authors and medical writers are responsible for the content they create.
What does acknowledging the contributions of medical communicators look like in practice? A collaborative statement from industry associations provides guidance.
Recognizing the Work of Medical Communicators
Several organizations—AMWA, the European Medical Writers Association (EMWA), and the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals (ISMPP)—have released a Joint Position Statement on the Role of Professional Medical Writers. The statement outlines the responsibilities of professional medical writers in articles and supplementary content that is published in peer-reviewed journals and abstracts, posters, and oral presentations disseminated at scientific congresses.
Among the recommendations in the statement is that authors who collaborate with medical writers acknowledge any writing support received and include the name and qualifications of the writer, that person's specific contributions, and any funding source used. Based on the recommendations in the position statement, an example of a disclosure acknowledging professional medical writing support might read:
“The authors thank [name and qualifications] of [company, city, country] for providing medical writing support/editorial support [specify and/or expand as appropriate], which was funded by [sponsor, city, country] in accordance with Good Publication Practice 2022 guidelines.”
The joint position statement goes a step further, indicating that professional medical writers who meet the ICMJE authorship criteria should be recognized as coauthors.
ICMJE Authorship Guidelines: Ensuring Ethical Publication of Research
Authors, editors, contributors, and professional medical communicators who follow ICMJE authorship guidelines for disclosing the contributions of authors and other collaborators ensure a transparent and ethical process for publishing the results of scientific research. Medical writers and editors play an important role in helping authors to share the results of medical research in an accurate and timely fashion, ultimately helping to advance patient care.
AMWA acknowledges the contributions of Matthew Rich, PhD for peer review in the development of this AMWA resource.
