Guide, Co-guide, Supervisors as Author in Publication on Student Thesis

Area of Science:

• Medical and scientific research ethics
• Academic publishing standards

Background:

• Ethical research writing and publication are crucial for scientific integrity.
• Academic pressures like thesis requirements and 'publish or perish' contribute to authorship misconducts.
• International guidelines exist, but inappropriate authorship, such as supervisors being listed on student thesis articles, persists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the ongoing issue of inappropriate authorship in academic research, particularly concerning thesis articles.
• To emphasize the need for broader academic debate and consensus-building in Nepal regarding authorship practices.
• To advocate for adherence to international authorship guidelines in academic publications.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing international authorship guidelines (e.g., ICMJE, COPE, CSE, WAME).
• Analysis of the conflict between historical academic practices, power dynamics, and current guidelines.
• Identification of stakeholders in Nepal requiring engagement for consensus.

Main Results:

• International bodies have established clear authorship criteria.
• The practice of including guides/co-guides as authors on student thesis articles remains a point of contention.
• Discrepancies between historical practices, power dynamics, and journal guidelines complicate the issue.

Conclusions:

• There is a need for a broader discussion among Nepalese academia, universities, monitoring bodies, ethical committees, and journals.
• Achieving consensus is essential to resolve authorship disputes and align practices with international standards.
• Addressing inappropriate authorship in thesis articles is critical for maintaining credible science.