This week, the Office of Research and Engagement was proud to host Rachel Caldwell, Associate Professor and Scholarly Communication & Publishing Librarian, for a lecture on Publication Practices & Responsible Authorship as part of the Responsible Conduct of Research Lunch and Learn series. The series boasts a comprehensive program of topic areas intended to educate our campus community about the importance of ethical research practices and relevant compliance topics.
This session reviewed professional norms and ethical practices pertaining to the publication and dissemination of scientific research. Common misconceptions and best practices specific to each stage of the publication process were discussed.
For example, Caldwell explained the difference between authorship and acknowledgement. Authorship credit should be limited to those individuals who provided significant intellectual contributions to the work, including making substantial contributions to the study’s concept and design, drafting and/or critically revising the content, approving the manuscript for publication, and agreeing to be accountable for all aspects of the manuscript. Individuals whose contributions were helpful but fall short of the criterion for authorship should still be acknowledged. Journals often require a section at the end of a manuscript detailing the specific contributions of each author to ensure appropriate designations.
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