Authorship and Contributorship

The Journal of Innovations in Internal Medicine (JIIM) adheres to strict authorship and contributorship guidelines to ensure that all contributors receive appropriate credit for their work and that authorship accurately reflects individual contributions to the research and manuscript preparation.

1. Criteria for Authorship

Authorship should be based on the following four criteria, adapted from internationally recognized standards:

  1. Substantial Contributions:

    • Authors must have made significant contributions to the conception or design of the work, the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data, or other substantial intellectual input.

  2. Drafting and Revising:

    • Authors should have contributed to drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content.

  3. Approval of the Final Version:

    • Authors must have approved the final version of the manuscript before submission.

  4. Accountability:

    • Authors should agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

2. Contributors Not Meeting Authorship Criteria

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be acknowledged in a Contributors or Acknowledgments section. This may include:

  • Technical Support: Contributions involving data collection, technical assistance, or manuscript formatting.
  • Supervisory Roles: Individuals who provided general supervision or oversight of the research group.
  • Funding Acquisition: Those who secured funding but did not contribute significantly to the research process.

3. Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT)

To provide transparency regarding individual contributions, JIIM encourages the use of the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT). This structured format allows authors to specify their individual roles in the research and publication process. Common roles include, but are not limited to:

  • Conceptualization: Formulation of the research idea and study design.
  • Data Curation: Managing and organizing data for analysis.
  • Formal Analysis: Application of statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques to analyze data.
  • Investigation: Conducting the research or experiments.
  • Methodology: Developing the methodology or experimental design.
  • Project Administration: Overseeing the project and ensuring its completion.
  • Writing – Original Draft: Writing the initial draft of the manuscript.
  • Writing – Review & Editing: Reviewing and revising the manuscript for important content and clarity.
  • Supervision: Oversight and leadership responsibility for the research activity and planning.

4. Order of Authors

The order of authors should reflect their relative contributions to the work. The corresponding author is responsible for communicating with the journal and managing revisions and post-publication communication.

5. Changes in Authorship

Any changes to authorship (e.g., addition, removal, or reordering of authors) after the initial submission must be approved by all authors. The corresponding author must provide a detailed explanation for the change and written confirmation from all authors involved. The final decision on authorship changes rests with the editorial team.

6. Corresponding Author Responsibilities

The corresponding author has the primary responsibility for:

  • Submission Management: Submitting the manuscript and ensuring all necessary documentation is provided.
  • Communication: Acting as the main point of contact between the journal and the co-authors throughout the submission, peer review, and publication process.
  • Accountability: Ensuring all listed authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript and agree to its submission for publication.

7. Disclosure of Contributions

All submitted manuscripts must include a Contributors Statement section that details the roles each author played in the research and writing of the manuscript, in line with the CRediT taxonomy.

8. Addressing Disputes

Authorship disputes should be resolved collaboratively by the authors before submission. In cases where disputes arise after submission or publication, the journal may facilitate discussions but will follow established ethical guidelines for resolution, adhering to COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) standards.

9. Ethical Compliance

Authors must comply with the ethical guidelines set by JIIM. Any instances of authorship manipulation, ghost authorship, or honorary authorship are considered unethical and will result in appropriate action, including potential manuscript rejection or retraction.