Authorship Declaration

The Authorship Declaration is designed to assist researchers to comply with theÌýÌý(the Code), and to meet the requirements of the ³ÉÈË´óƬ’sÌýÌý(the Policy).

An Authorship Declaration must be completed by the author of a publication, or where there are multiple authors, by the corresponding author. This needs to be done before the publication is presented in a public forum. This new online form replaces the existing paper-based version of the declaration.

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Creating an Authorship Declaration, or providing consent to be named on one, ensures you are receiving a fair allocation of credit towards a publication. The online form creates an effective mechanism to assist the corresponding author with obtaining permissions from other contributing authors, or to dispute or decline an authorship position.

By adhering to both the Code and the Policy, researchers are protecting themselves and the University against potential disputes, and ensuring the University is compliant with its governance responsibilities.

All researchers recorded on the Authorship Declaration are able to track progress of their forms and access any records of previously submitted declarations upon which they are listed.

If you have questions regarding the Authorship Declaration such as when you should complete the declaration or more information about the declaration itself which are not answered on the FAQ page, please reach out to a Research Integrity Adviser for further support. There are several advisors who can assist you with your queries.

If you are having technical issues with the functionality of the form itself ie. the form is not functioning, notifications are not going across etc., please raise a ticket with ITDS via your Ìýand outline what specific issue you are having with the form.

Here are some resources to assist with completing and submitting the form:

  • Where can I find the Authorship Policy?

    TheÌýAuthorship PolicyÌý(the Policy) is located atÌý.

  • When should I prepare an Authorship Declaration

    A Declaration can be initiated early (in ‘draft’) to document an agreement between parties (facilitated through the ‘approval’ stage) and reviewed throughout preparation of the publication. If you have separate agreements of expected involvement (e.g. on email) you can upload that as evidence of the historical discussion.

    At any time that a contribution/contributor changes, a form that is in ‘approval’ can be moved back into draft and changes made. All parties would then be sent the Declaration again for approval of the changes and to support their continuing involvement. This can happen as often as it is needed, leaving the ‘finalise’ stage until the publication is ready. This is a good way to facilitate discussions and document contributions as a project evolves.

    Approval should always be sought from contributors, and documented, prior to submission of a publication to a public forum.

  • Where can I access the Authorship Declaration

    The Authorship Declaration (the Declaration) is located atÌý.

  • Why do I need to complete the Authorship Declaration?

    In compliance with theÌýAustralian Code for the Responsible Conduct of ResearchÌý(the Code), and to meet the ³ÉÈË´óƬ'sÌýAuthorship PolicyÌý(the Policy), an 'Authorship Declaration' must be completed by the author of a publication, or where there are multiple authors, by the corresponding author. This must be done before the publication is presented in a public forum.

    The Authorship Declaration ensures all authors who have contributed to the research outcome have provided their 'written' consent, and have approved the version of a research publication to be published.

    There are certain circumstances where this is not possible, such as where an author is deceased or cannot be contacted following reasonable efforts. In this instance (where 30 days have elapsed as per the Policy), the publication may proceed to publication provided that there are no grounds to believe that this person would have objected to being included as an author.

    Seeking approval for the work is important. Remember, as per the Policy, "a publication may not proceed if any of the authors have legitimate reservations concerning the theory, data or its interpretation underpinning critical parts of the work".

  • I am a HDR student, am I required to use the Authorship Declaration?

    If the publication is going into your thesis, you are required to complete the 'Statement of Authorship' as per the Adelaide Graduate Research School guidelines. You will also need to complete the electronic Authorship Declaration prior to publication, in accordance with the Policy.

    If you are a corresponding author on a publication which is not going into your thesis, you will need to use the electronic Authorship Declaration prior to publication.

    If you are listed as a co-author/acknowledgement for a non-thesis publication, you are also required to make your declaration using this electronic Authorship Declaration. The corresponding author will send you a request for your approval.

  • Who can create an Authorship Declaration?

    A corresponding author can create an Authorship Declaration as they maintain ultimate responsibility for the publication. It is possible for others to initiate the Declaration, however they cannot request approval of others.ÌýThe corresponding author must be a member of the ³ÉÈË´óƬ community.

  • Who Is the corresponding author?

    As per the Policy, "in circumstances where there is more than one author, a corresponding author must be appointed to record authorship and manage communication about the work with the publisher.

    In compliance with the Code, an 'Authorship Declaration' must be completed by the author of a publication or, where there are multiple authors, by the corresponding author. This must be done before the publication is presented in a public forum".

    Different disciplines may have different ways of appointing the corresponding author, so it is important to discuss, and agree to, authorship process early.

  • Who Is a contributing author (or co-author)?

    A contributing author is an author who has provided a substantial contribution to at least two (2) of the following three (3) activities:

    • conception and design of the project;
    • analysis and interpretation of research data;
    • drafting significant parts of the article or critically revising it so as to contribute to the interpretation

    A contributor who has not met the above criteria should be referred to as an acknowledgement in accordance with the Policy.

  • Are honorary or 'token' authorships acceptable?

    As per the Policy, "authorship must not be offered purely on the following grounds:

    • holding a position of authority (e.g. head of a research group or a supervisory role);
    • facilitating the acquisition of funding;
    • providing routine assistance in some aspects of the project;
    • providing a technical contribution, data that has already been published or materials obtained from third parties, but making no substantial input to the project or publication".
  • Is the Authorship Policy followed if the corresponding author is not a member of the ³ÉÈË´óƬ?

    No, the policy of the corresponding author's institution is to be followed.

  • Can a corresponding author be changed once an Authorship Declaration has been created?

    No, the corresponding author can only be updated by creating a Declaration with the new contributing author's details. Note: for the purposes of this Declaration, the corresponding author should be the corresponding author who will be listed on the publication once it reaches the public domain, and is the person who takes overall responsibility for the publication. Correspondence with a publisher in relation to publication should comeÌýafterÌýthe author has sought approval from all authors to submit.

    If the corresponding author leaves the ³ÉÈË´óƬ they will not be able to complete the University's Authorship Declaration, but they must follow the Authorship Policies of the institution to which they move. They must also continue to show the affiliation with the ³ÉÈË´óƬ, with respect to that research.

  • I am a corresponding author & completing an Authorship Declaration early in the project, I have not decided the publication title, to whom the publication will be submitted or when the publication will be submitted. What do I do?

    These fields should be populated with the best estimate possible. The Declaration can be kept in draft until this information is finalised and the Declaration is ready to be submitted for approval to co-authors (these fields will then be locked).

  • What document(s) do I attach to the Authorship Declaration?

    In accordance with Policy, authors are required to approve the version of the publication which is to be published. Therefore, the final version of the manuscript (or other publication) should be attached to the Declaration.

    Communication which occurs outside of the system to seek authorship approval or resolve disputes can also be attached to the Declaration.

  • How many authors are required to be entered into the Authorship Declaration?

    The first 20 authors are required to be added andÌýallÌýof the ³ÉÈË´óƬ authors. Each should be added on a separate row. Where there are more than 20 authors, a document showing the complete list of authors should be uploaded into the Authorship Declaration.

  • What is the difference between dispute and decline?

    A dispute is a disagreement over authorship. The dispute may be in relation to the authors listed in the publication, the author order or the contribution(s) made by authors as per the authorship criteria.

    Per the Authorship Policy, "if a dispute remains unresolved within 30 days of referral under clause 3.2, it will be referred to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research) for determination. The DVC&VP(R) may engage an external arbitrator or mediator to assist in this process, although the final decision remains with the University".

    A decline relates to a decline of authorship, i.e. an author would like to be removed from the author listing of a publication.

  • As a corresponding author what do I do if a co-author has not responded to my Authorship Declaration?

    Per the Authorship Policy, "a co-author has 30 days to offer authorship to all people, including research trainees, who meet the criteria for authorship listed in the Policy. Those offered authorship must accept or decline in writing within 30 days. If a potential author fails to respond in 30 days, the corresponding author must keep a record of decisions made on behalf of the authors".

  • Can I save the Declaration without completing it?

    Yes, the Declaration will auto-save while you work and there is also the option to 'Save and Exit'. This means you can keep the Declaration in draft while discussing the publication with co-authors.

  • I am a corresponding author & a co-author has left the University prior to an Authorship Declaration being finalised. How do i liaise with the co-author for the approval of authorship?

    If the co-author's work was done during his/her tenure at the ³ÉÈË´óƬ, the co-author's affiliation on the Declaration should be listed as ³ÉÈË´óƬ. You are able to change the email address to one that is current in order to communicate with this author.

  • What am I required to do if my publication is declined by the journal/symposium and I wish to resubmit it elsewhere?

    This would require locating the finalised Declaration (in the 'Create and Manage Declarations' tab) and using the 'Edit Authorship Declaration' button to make edits to the publication title (if needed) and the public forum to which it will be resubmitted.

    Note: this assumes there are no changes required to the publication itself.

    Once changes have been made to the Declaration you will need to re-submit the Declaration to co-authors for approval. The co-authors will receive a communication notifying them that there have been changes to the Declaration.

  • What am I required to do if my publication requires major changes?

    This would require locating the finalised Declaration (in the 'Create and Manage Declarations' tab) and using the 'Edit Authorship Declaration' button to make any changes to the Declaration.

    To ensure contributors are reviewing the final version of the publication to be submitted to the public forum, use the upload section of the Declaration to attach the final version of the publication.

    Once changes have been made to the Declaration you will need to re-submit the Declaration to co-authors for approval. The co-authors will receive a communication notifying them that there have been changes to the Declaration.

  • Do I need to lodge the completed Authorship Declaration with the Head of School?

    No, the electronic Authorship Declaration is maintained centrally and can be accessed by Heads of School if required.

  • Does the Authorship Declaration integrate with Aurora?

    No, the Declaration does not integrate with Aurora at this stage.

Contact us

Research Integrity team - Research Services

E:Ìýresearchintegrity@adelaide.edu.au

Contact

  • Monica Kerr