Contributorship Policy

Contributorship Policy

Document Number: JPADR-POL-CON-001

Effective Date: [Insert Date]

Version: 1.0

Approved By: Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board

Review Date: Every Three Years or Earlier if Required

1. Purpose

The purpose of this Contributorship Policy is to ensure transparency, accountability, and integrity in reporting individual contributions to scholarly work published in the Journal of Pharmacovigilance and Drug Research (JPADR).

This policy establishes clear requirements for identifying, documenting, and disclosing the specific contributions of all individuals involved in the conception, conduct, preparation, review, and publication of research manuscripts.

JPADR adopts a contributorship model that complements authorship requirements and promotes responsible research reporting in accordance with the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the Council of Science Editors (CSE), and the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT).

2. Scope

This policy applies to all manuscript submissions received by the Journal of Pharmacovigilance and Drug Research.

The policy applies to, but is not limited to, the following article types:

  • Original Research Articles
  • Review Articles
  • Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
  • Short Communications
  • Case Reports
  • Editorials
  • Perspectives
  • Commentaries
  • Special Issue Publications
  • Supplementary Publications

The requirements described in this policy apply to all listed authors and contributors associated with a submitted manuscript.

3. Policy Statement

JPADR requires authors to provide a transparent statement describing the specific contributions of every individual involved in the work.

The journal recognizes that scholarly research is frequently collaborative and that meaningful contributions may extend beyond traditional authorship designations.

All contributors shall be appropriately acknowledged, and all listed authors must satisfy the journal's authorship requirements.

Whenever feasible, contributorship information shall be published alongside accepted articles to improve transparency and accountability.

4. Relationship Between Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship and contributorship are related concepts but serve different purposes within scholarly publishing.

4.1 Authorship

Authorship recognizes individuals who satisfy the journal's authorship requirements and accept public responsibility for the integrity of the published work.

4.2 Contributorship

Contributorship identifies the specific tasks, responsibilities, and roles performed by each individual contributor, regardless of whether the individual qualifies for authorship.

A contributor may:

  • Qualify as both an author and a contributor.
  • Be acknowledged as a contributor without being listed as an author.
  • Be recognized for specialized support roles.

5. Authorship Eligibility

To qualify as an author, an individual should satisfy all applicable authorship criteria established by JPADR and consistent with the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

These criteria include:

  • Making a substantial contribution to the conception, design, acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data.
  • Participating in drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content.
  • Approving the final version of the manuscript prior to publication.
  • Agreeing to be accountable for the accuracy and integrity of all aspects of the published work.

Individuals who do not satisfy these requirements shall not be listed as authors.

6. Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT)

JPADR adopts the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT) framework to describe and standardize individual contributions to scholarly publications.

Authors should identify all applicable contributor roles using the following categories.

6.1 Conceptualization

Development of research ideas, objectives, and study design.

6.2 Methodology

Design of research methods, protocols, and analytical approaches.

6.3 Software

Programming, software development, coding, or implementation of computational tools.

6.4 Validation

Verification and confirmation of results, methods, or analyses.

6.5 Formal Analysis

Statistical analysis, interpretation, and analytical evaluation of data.

6.6 Investigation

Conducting experiments, data collection, fieldwork, or other research activities.

6.7 Resources

Provision of study materials, patients, laboratory resources, databases, equipment, or facilities.

6.8 Data Curation

Data management, annotation, maintenance, verification, and long-term archiving.

6.9 Writing – Original Draft

Preparation of the initial manuscript draft.

6.10 Writing – Review and Editing

Critical review, revision, and editing of manuscript content.

6.11 Visualization

Preparation of figures, tables, graphical abstracts, and other visual presentations.

6.12 Supervision

Research leadership, mentorship, and project oversight.

6.13 Project Administration

Management and coordination of research activities.

6.14 Funding Acquisition

Obtaining financial support and research funding.

7. Submission Requirements

At the time of manuscript submission, the corresponding author must provide complete and accurate contributor information.

The submission should include:

  • Full names of all contributors.
  • Institutional affiliations.
  • Contributor role statements.
  • Confirmation of authorship eligibility.
  • Disclosure of any contributors who are not listed as authors.

The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all contribution information is complete, accurate, and approved by every listed author.

8. Contributor Statement Format

A contributor statement should be included within the manuscript using a standardized format.

Example

Author Contributions

Dr. A. Kumar: Conceptualization, Methodology, Supervision.

Dr. B. Sharma: Investigation, Data Curation, Writing – Original Draft.

Dr. C. Patel: Formal Analysis, Validation.

Dr. D. Singh: Writing – Review and Editing, Visualization.

All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

The journal may modify formatting during production while preserving the accuracy of the contributor information.

9. Accountability of Contributors

Each contributor is accountable for the integrity, accuracy, and reliability of the specific work for which they are responsible.

All authors and contributors are expected to cooperate fully with the journal throughout the editorial and publication process.

Authors must:

  • Ensure the accuracy and completeness of the work they contributed.
  • Cooperate with editorial investigations when requested.
  • Respond promptly to requests for clarification or additional information.
  • Assist in correcting errors, inaccuracies, or omissions if they are identified after submission or publication.

JPADR may require contributors to provide documentation or additional evidence supporting their declared roles whenever necessary.

10. Non-Author Contributors

Individuals who contributed to the research or manuscript but do not satisfy the journal's authorship criteria should be appropriately acknowledged rather than listed as authors.

Examples of non-author contributors include:

  • Statistical advisors.
  • Technical assistants.
  • Laboratory personnel.
  • Administrative support staff.
  • Professional medical writers.
  • Language editors.
  • Data entry personnel.
  • Graphic designers.
  • Research coordinators.

Such individuals shall not be listed as authors unless they satisfy all applicable authorship requirements established by JPADR.

11. Acknowledgment Requirements

Contributors who do not qualify for authorship should be recognized in a dedicated Acknowledgments section within the manuscript.

Example

"The authors thank Mr. X for technical assistance and Ms. Y for language editing support."

Authors should obtain permission from all acknowledged individuals before publication of their names.

12. Prohibited Authorship and Contributorship Practices

JPADR strictly prohibits unethical authorship and contributorship practices that compromise research integrity and transparency.

12.1 Ghost Authorship

Failure to acknowledge individuals who made substantial scholarly contributions to the research or manuscript.

12.2 Gift Authorship

Listing individuals as authors despite making little or no meaningful contribution to the work.

12.3 Honorary Authorship

Including individuals as authors solely because of their position, reputation, seniority, or institutional status.

12.4 Purchased Authorship

Selling, purchasing, trading, or exchanging authorship positions in return for financial or other benefits.

12.5 Misrepresentation of Contributions

Providing false, misleading, exaggerated, or incomplete statements regarding contributor roles or responsibilities.

Violations of this policy may result in one or more editorial actions, including:

  • Rejection of the manuscript.
  • Publication of corrections.
  • Retraction of published articles.
  • Notification of affiliated institutions or funding agencies when appropriate.

13. Changes to Authorship or Contributorship

Requests to add, remove, reorder authors, or modify contributor roles after manuscript submission must be submitted in writing to the Editorial Office.

Such requests shall include:

  • A detailed written explanation describing the reason for the requested change.
  • Written consent from all listed authors.
  • Approval by the Editor-in-Chief or designated editorial authority.

Following publication, approved changes may require publication of a formal correction notice to maintain the integrity of the scholarly record.

14. Verification and Audit

JPADR reserves the right to verify contributor statements whenever concerns arise regarding authorship or contributorship.

The journal may:

  • Verify contributor statements.
  • Request supporting documentation.
  • Conduct authorship investigations.
  • Contact authors' affiliated institutions when necessary.

Failure to provide requested documentation or satisfactory explanations may result in appropriate editorial action.

15. Contributorship Disclosure in Published Articles

Accepted articles may include a dedicated section entitled Author Contributions.

This section shall clearly identify the specific contributions of each author using the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT) terminology or equivalent standardized descriptions.

JPADR encourages publication of detailed contributor statements to improve transparency, accountability, and recognition of scholarly work.

16. Research Consortia and Group Authorship

For multicenter studies, collaborative research groups, research consortia, and other multi-author collaborations, contributor information should remain transparent and appropriately documented.

Whenever applicable:

  • Individual contributions should be identified whenever possible.
  • Group authorship should be presented transparently.
  • Responsible guarantors for the published work should be clearly designated.
  • The corresponding author must certify the accuracy of all contributor information provided to the journal.

17. Dispute Resolution

Disputes regarding authorship or contributorship should be resolved by the authors and their affiliated institutions before manuscript submission whenever possible.

JPADR expects authors to reach mutual agreement regarding authorship order, contributor roles, and individual responsibilities prior to submission.

In the event of an authorship or contributorship dispute, the journal:

  • Does not adjudicate disputes concerning ownership of research or authorship.
  • May suspend manuscript processing while investigations are ongoing.
  • May refer disputes to the relevant institutions, employers, or research organizations.
  • Will follow the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) when managing unresolved cases.

18. Editorial and Reviewer Contributions

Editorial Board members, Editors, Guest Editors, and Peer Reviewers who contribute to the editorial evaluation of a manuscript do not qualify for authorship solely on the basis of their editorial responsibilities.

Editorial contributions shall remain independent from manuscript authorship to preserve editorial integrity and impartiality.

Any editor who is also an author of a submitted manuscript must be excluded from all editorial assessment, peer review management, and publication decisions relating to that manuscript.

19. Compliance with International Standards

This policy has been developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles and recommendations governing responsible authorship, contributorship, research integrity, and scholarly publishing.

JPADR aligns this policy with guidance issued by:

  • International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
  • Council of Science Editors (CSE).
  • National Information Standards Organization (Contributor Roles Taxonomy – CRediT).
  • World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

Authors are expected to comply with these internationally accepted standards throughout the research, manuscript preparation, submission, peer review, and publication processes.

20. Policy Review and Amendment

This policy shall be reviewed every three years or earlier whenever necessary to ensure continued alignment with international publication ethics and evolving scholarly publishing standards.

A review may be initiated in response to:

  • Changes in publication ethics standards.
  • Updates to internationally accepted authorship guidance.
  • Regulatory or legal developments affecting scholarly publishing.
  • Revisions to international best practices.

All amendments, revisions, or updates to this policy shall be reviewed and approved by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board before implementation.

21. Declaration

The Journal of Pharmacovigilance and Drug Research (JPADR) is committed to promoting transparent reporting of scholarly contributions and responsible authorship practices.

The journal expects all authors and contributors to accurately disclose their individual roles, comply with internationally accepted publication ethics, and uphold accountability for the integrity, reliability, and transparency of the published scientific record.

Approval

Approved By: ___________________________

Editor-in-Chief

Date: ___________________________

Signature: ___________________________

 

Approved By: ___________________________

Editorial Board Representative

Date: ___________________________

Signature: ___________________________

References

  1. International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals.
  2. Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). COPE Core Practices and COPE Guidelines.
  3. Council of Science Editors (CSE). CSE White Paper on Publication Ethics.
  4. National Information Standards Organization (NISO). Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT).
  5. World Association of Medical Editors (WAME). Recommendations on Authorship and Contributorship.

Policy Review

This policy is reviewed periodically by the Editorial Board to ensure alignment with international publication ethics, scholarly publishing standards, and current best practices.

The latest version of this policy is available on the official JPADR website.