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Teaching authorship and publication practices in the biomedical and life sciences
1VCU Philips Institute and Office of Research, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0568, USA. macrina@vcu.edu
Science and Engineering Ethics
|May 3, 2011
Summary
This study outlines best practices for scientific authorship by analyzing journal policies and society guidelines. It establishes definitions and policies for ethical publication across disciplines.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical and Life Sciences
- Scientific Publishing
Background:
- Authorship practices in scientific research require clear guidelines.
- Existing publisher instructions and society guidelines offer insights into these practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and articulate best practices for scientific authorship.
- To establish a foundation for teaching ethical publication standards.
Main Methods:
- Reviewed Instructions for Authors from five diverse journals (Nature, Science, PNAS, NEJM, Journal of Bacteriology).
- Examined guidelines from the Society for Neuroscience and the American Chemical Society.
- Analyzed the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Uniform Requirements.
Main Results:
- Identified common elements across journals and societies regarding publication policies.
- Established a definition of authorship.
- Highlighted policy statements on duplicative publication, conflicts of interest, data sharing, and research subject protection.
Conclusions:
- Common elements across various sources provide a basis for defining scientific authorship.
- These findings support the development of educational materials on ethical publication practices.
- Best practices encompass authorship, duplicative publication, conflict of interest, data sharing, and research integrity.
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