November 22, 2016

Defining the role of authors and contributors (Vancouver protocol - updated)

My university (and many others around the world) use the recommendations from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors ("Vancouver Protocol") for defining the role of authors on publications. It has been updated to contain 4 criteria
"The ICMJE recommends that authorship be based on the following 4 criteria:
1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
2. Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND
3. Final approval of the version to be published; AND
4. 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.

In addition to being accountable for the parts of the work he or she has done, an author should be able to identify which co-authors are responsible for specific other parts of the work. In addition, authors should have confidence in the integrity of the contributions of their co-authors..."

International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. (2016). Defining the role of authors and contributors. Retrieved from http://www.icmje.org

Here are the authorship guidelines for the Taylor and Francis journals: https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/editorial-policies/defining-authorship-research-paper/