Authorship Policy | GJETA

👥 Authorship Policy | Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances (GJETA)

🎯 Purpose of the Authorship Policy

The purpose of this Authorship Policy is to establish clear and transparent expectations regarding who qualifies as an author, how contributions should be recognised, and how authorship-related concerns are managed during submission, peer review, publication, and post-publication.

A well-defined authorship policy protects the rights of contributors, reduces disputes among research collaborators, promotes accountability for published work, and helps readers understand who is responsible for the scientific and technical content of each article.

⚖️ Principles of Responsible Authorship

Authorship carries both academic credit and professional responsibility. Individuals listed as authors are expected to take public responsibility for the integrity, accuracy, and originality of the published work.

The authorship principles followed by GJETA are based on:

• honest recognition of genuine scholarly contributions;
• accountability for the published research;
• transparency in contributor roles;
• accurate reporting of research activities;
• fair acknowledgement of collaborative work;
• responsible management of authorship changes;
• compliance with accepted publication ethics standards.

✔ Who Qualifies as an Author?

Individuals should be listed as authors only when they have made substantial intellectual contributions to the research and are willing to accept responsibility for the published manuscript.

Meaningful scholarly contributions may include one or more of the following:

• developing the research concept or study design;
• planning experiments, engineering designs, computational models, or analytical methods;
• collecting, generating, or validating research data;
• performing data analysis, simulations, or technical interpretation;
• developing software, algorithms, or engineering methodologies that form an essential part of the research;
• drafting significant portions of the manuscript;
• critically revising the manuscript for important intellectual content;
• reviewing and approving the final version before submission.

Every listed author should have participated sufficiently to take responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of their own contribution and support the overall reliability of the published work.

🚫 Who Should Not Be Listed as an Author?

Certain contributions, although valuable to the research project, do not by themselves justify authorship. Individuals who have not made substantial scholarly contributions should not be included as authors.

Examples include:

• providing routine technical assistance;
• general laboratory or administrative support;
• financial sponsorship alone;
• institutional supervision without intellectual contribution;
• routine language editing or proofreading;
• data entry without scholarly interpretation;
• general project management;
• providing equipment, laboratory space, or funding without participating intellectually in the research.

Such contributions may instead be recognised appropriately in the Acknowledgements section where applicable.

📝 Authorship Criteria Throughout the Publication Process

Authors submitting manuscripts to GJETA should ensure that:

• all eligible contributors are included as authors;
• no individual who fails to meet authorship criteria is listed as an author;
• all authors have reviewed and approved the submitted manuscript;
• all authors agree with the order of authorship before submission;
• the manuscript represents original scholarly work;
• all ethical declarations and disclosures are complete and accurate.

By submitting a manuscript, the corresponding author confirms that these requirements have been satisfied on behalf of all listed authors.

🤝 Collaborative Research and Multi-Author Manuscripts

Engineering and technology research frequently involves multidisciplinary collaboration among researchers from different institutions, countries, laboratories, or industrial organisations. GJETA supports collaborative research while encouraging transparent documentation of individual contributions.

Research teams are encouraged to discuss authorship eligibility, contributor roles, author order, and corresponding author responsibilities at an early stage of the research project. Clear communication before manuscript preparation helps prevent misunderstandings and reduces the likelihood of authorship disputes during submission or publication.

📋 Contributor Roles and Transparency

Authors are encouraged to identify the principal contributions made by each author wherever appropriate. Transparent reporting of contributor roles helps readers understand how the research was conducted and who was responsible for specific aspects of the work.

Examples of contributor roles may include:

• conceptualisation;
• research methodology;
• software development;
• experimental investigation;
• engineering design;
• formal analysis;
• validation;
• data curation;
• visualisation;
• writing the original manuscript;
• critical review and editing;
• project administration;
• research supervision;
• funding acquisition.

Contributor statements improve transparency but do not replace the requirement that every listed author satisfies the journal's authorship criteria.

👤 Responsibilities of the Corresponding Author

The corresponding author serves as the primary point of communication between the Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances (GJETA), the editorial office, reviewers, and all co-authors throughout the submission, peer review, publication, and post-publication processes.

The corresponding author is expected to ensure that all listed authors are informed about the submission, have reviewed the manuscript, approved the final version, and agree to its submission and publication.

The responsibilities of the corresponding author include:

• submitting the manuscript and all required documents;
• ensuring that all authors satisfy the journal's authorship criteria;
• confirming the accuracy of author names, affiliations, and contact information;
• obtaining approval from all co-authors before submission;
• communicating editorial decisions and reviewer comments to all authors;
• coordinating revisions and author responses during peer review;
• ensuring that ethical declarations and conflict of interest disclosures are complete;
• responding promptly to editorial requests for clarification or supporting documentation;
• communicating any post-publication issues affecting the article.

The corresponding author acts on behalf of all authors but does not assume sole responsibility for the scientific accuracy or integrity of the research. Every listed author shares responsibility for the published work.

👥 Responsibilities of Co-authors

Each co-author should make a meaningful scholarly contribution and should be familiar with the content of the manuscript before submission.

Co-authors are expected to:

• participate in the research according to their declared contribution;
• review the manuscript before submission;
• approve the final version submitted to the journal;
• accept responsibility for their individual contribution;
• cooperate during peer review and editorial investigations where necessary;
• assist in correcting significant errors identified after publication.

Authors should not permit submission of a manuscript without their knowledge or approval.

📖 Author Order

The order of authors should be determined collectively by the research team before manuscript submission. GJETA does not prescribe a universal method for determining author order because practices vary among research disciplines and institutions.

The sequence of authors should reflect the mutual agreement of all contributors and should accurately represent the relative scholarly contributions where appropriate.

Any disagreement regarding author order should be resolved by the authors before submission. The journal is generally not responsible for determining the appropriate sequence of authors.

🙏 Acknowledgements

Individuals or organisations that contributed to the research but do not satisfy the journal's authorship criteria should normally be recognised in the Acknowledgements section rather than included as authors.

Acknowledgements may include:

• technical assistance;
• statistical support;
• language editing;
• administrative assistance;
• equipment or laboratory support;
• institutional cooperation;
• financial sponsorship;
• research grants or funding support.

Where appropriate, authors should obtain permission from acknowledged individuals before including their names in the manuscript.

💰 Funding and Contributor Disclosure

Authors should disclose financial support, research grants, sponsorship, institutional funding, equipment support, commercial involvement, or other assistance that contributed to the research.

Funding information promotes transparency and enables readers to understand the context in which the research was conducted. Authors should also disclose whether the funding organisation influenced the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, manuscript preparation, or publication decision.

⚠️ Conflict of Interest Related to Authorship

Authors should disclose any personal, professional, financial, institutional, or commercial relationships that could reasonably influence—or appear to influence—the preparation, interpretation, or reporting of the research.

Disclosure supports transparency and allows editors and readers to evaluate the published work appropriately. Additional guidance is available in the journal's Conflict of Interest Policy.

🤖 Artificial Intelligence and Authorship

Artificial intelligence tools may assist authors with language improvement, formatting, grammar checking, or other supportive tasks where permitted by the journal's policies. However, artificial intelligence systems do not satisfy the requirements for authorship because they cannot assume responsibility for the integrity, originality, accuracy, or ethical compliance of published research.

Artificial intelligence applications should not be listed as authors or co-authors of manuscripts submitted to GJETA.

Human authors remain fully responsible for:

• the originality of the manuscript;
• the accuracy of all research findings;
• proper citation and attribution;
• ethical compliance;
• the interpretation of results;
• the final submitted version of the manuscript.

Further guidance is available in the journal's AI Usage Policy.

📄 Authorship Declaration

During manuscript submission, authors may be required to confirm that:

• all listed authors satisfy the journal's authorship criteria;
• all authors have reviewed and approved the submitted manuscript;
• no eligible contributor has been omitted;
• no individual has been included without making a qualifying scholarly contribution;
• the author information provided is accurate;
• the manuscript represents original scholarly work.

False or misleading authorship declarations may result in editorial investigation or other appropriate action under the journal's publication ethics policies.

🌍 Multi-Institutional and International Collaboration

Many engineering and technology projects involve researchers from multiple institutions, countries, industries, or interdisciplinary research teams. GJETA encourages transparent communication regarding authorship before manuscript preparation and submission.

Collaborative research teams should clearly define:

• individual scholarly contributions;
• author order;
• corresponding author responsibilities;
• ownership of research data where applicable;
• institutional affiliations;
• funding disclosures;
• responsibility for responding to editorial enquiries.

Clear documentation of contributor roles helps minimise misunderstandings and supports responsible collaborative research.

🔒 Confidentiality and Author Information

Author information submitted to GJETA is used for editorial processing, peer review, publication, indexing, and communication related to the manuscript. Editors and editorial staff should handle author information responsibly and maintain appropriate confidentiality throughout the editorial process.

Personal information collected during manuscript submission will be managed according to the journal's editorial procedures and applicable privacy requirements.

🔄 Changes in Authorship

Requests to add, remove, replace, or reorder authors after manuscript submission must be handled carefully because authorship changes affect academic credit, accountability, and the integrity of the publication record. The Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances (GJETA) expects authorship details to be finalised before submission whenever possible.

Any request for an authorship change should include:

• a clear explanation for the proposed change;
• the revised author list and author order;
• confirmation from all existing authors;
• confirmation from any author being added or removed;
• updated contributor roles and affiliations where applicable.

The journal may suspend editorial processing until the request has been reviewed and all required confirmations have been received.

➕ Adding an Author After Submission

An individual may be added as an author only when the person satisfies the journal's authorship criteria and has made a genuine scholarly contribution to the research or manuscript.

A request to add an author should explain:

• the specific contribution made by the proposed author;
• why the author was not included in the original submission;
• whether all existing authors agree to the addition;
• whether the proposed author has reviewed and approved the manuscript.

The journal may decline the request when the proposed individual does not meet authorship criteria or when the available information does not support the change.

➖ Removing an Author After Submission

An author should not be removed without the individual's knowledge and written agreement, except in exceptional circumstances supported by sufficient evidence or institutional findings.

The request should explain why removal is necessary and confirm that all affected authors agree. When agreement cannot be obtained, the journal may pause manuscript processing and request that the relevant institution review the matter.

🔢 Changing the Author Order

Requests to change the sequence of authors should be supported by a clear explanation and written agreement from all listed authors. The journal does not determine the relative importance of individual contributions and normally relies on the research team to reach a fair and transparent agreement.

Changes in author order after acceptance may require additional editorial review because they can affect academic credit, indexing records, and publication metadata.

⏳ Authorship Changes After Acceptance

Authorship changes requested after acceptance are subject to stricter review because the manuscript has already completed peer review and editorial evaluation based on the originally declared authorship.

The journal may require:

• a formal written request from the corresponding author;
• agreement from all authors;
• updated contribution statements;
• an explanation of why the change was not requested earlier;
• institutional confirmation where concerns exist.

Acceptance or publication may be delayed until the matter is resolved.

📢 Post-Publication Authorship Changes

Changes to authorship after publication are considered only when sufficient evidence shows that the published author list is inaccurate or incomplete.

Approved changes may require a formal correction notice that:

• identifies the affected article;
• explains the nature of the authorship change;
• updates the author list, affiliations, or contribution statement;
• preserves the transparency of the publication history.

Post-publication authorship changes are not made solely to improve academic credit, career advancement, institutional reporting, or citation benefits.

⚠️ Authorship Disputes

Authorship disputes may involve disagreement about eligibility, author order, contributor roles, omission of a legitimate author, inclusion of an ineligible individual, or submission without the approval of all contributors.

GJETA encourages research teams to resolve authorship matters before submission. The journal does not have the authority to investigate employment relationships, laboratory ownership, institutional hierarchy, or legal rights to research outputs.

When a dispute cannot be resolved by the authors, the journal may:

• pause manuscript processing;
• request written explanations from all parties;
• ask the relevant institution to review the dispute;
• delay acceptance or publication;
• take corrective action after receiving an institutional determination.

👻 Ghost Authorship

Ghost authorship occurs when an individual who made a substantial scholarly contribution is omitted from the author list or contributor statement.

Examples may include:

• a researcher who designed or analysed the study but is not credited;
• a professional writer who prepared substantial manuscript content without disclosure;
• a contributor excluded because of personal, institutional, or commercial pressure;
• an industry or sponsor representative who influenced the research or manuscript without acknowledgment.

Ghost authorship is inconsistent with transparency and may result in editorial investigation.

🎁 Gift, Guest and Honorary Authorship

Gift, guest, or honorary authorship occurs when an individual is listed as an author despite not making a qualifying scholarly contribution.

Improper authorship may be offered because of:

• academic seniority;
• institutional authority;
• personal relationships;
• access to funding or facilities;
• expected professional benefit;
• the perceived prestige of a well-known name.

Professional status, supervision, funding, or administrative authority alone does not justify authorship.

🏷️ Misrepresentation of Author Contributions

Contributor statements must accurately describe the work performed by each author. False, exaggerated, incomplete, or misleading contribution declarations may undermine accountability and may be treated as a publication ethics concern.

Examples include:

• claiming responsibility for work performed by another person;
• hiding the involvement of a commercial organisation;
• assigning technical or analytical roles that were not actually performed;
• misrepresenting who wrote, reviewed, or approved the manuscript;
• concealing the role of an external writer or consultant.

🏢 Institutional Responsibilities in Authorship Disputes

Research institutions are generally better positioned than journals to investigate authorship disputes because they can review laboratory records, employment relationships, research agreements, correspondence, supervision arrangements, and contribution evidence.

GJETA may refer unresolved disputes to the authors' institution, research integrity office, ethics committee, or another responsible authority. The journal may consider the findings of an institutional review when deciding whether editorial or post-publication action is required.

🔍 Editorial Investigation of Authorship Concerns

When a credible concern is raised, the journal may request:

• contributor statements;
• written confirmation from all authors;
• research records or correspondence;
• submission approval from each author;
• institutional clarification;
• evidence supporting the proposed authorship arrangement.

The investigation will focus on whether the author list accurately reflects genuine scholarly contribution and whether all authors accepted responsibility for the manuscript.

🚫 Submission Without Co-author Approval

Submitting a manuscript without the knowledge or approval of all listed authors is a serious breach of authorship ethics.

If such a concern is confirmed, GJETA may:

• suspend or reject the manuscript;
• contact all listed authors;
• request institutional investigation;
• correct or retract a published article where necessary;
• restrict future submissions in serious or repeated cases.

📌 Author Name and Affiliation Accuracy

Authors are responsible for providing accurate names, affiliations, email addresses, and other publication details during submission. Names should be presented consistently to support correct attribution, indexing, citation, and author identification.

Institutional affiliations should reflect the organisation where the research was conducted or where the author was formally associated during the work. Current affiliations may be added separately where appropriate.

🛠️ Enforcement of the Authorship Policy

The editorial response to an authorship concern depends on the seriousness of the issue, the available evidence, the stage of publication, and the cooperation of the involved parties.

Possible actions may include:

• requesting clarification or revised contributor statements;
• pausing peer review or production;
• rejecting or withdrawing the manuscript;
• requiring institutional resolution;
• issuing a correction after publication;
• publishing an expression of concern;
• retracting an article where authorship misconduct affects publication integrity;
• restricting future submissions in serious or repeated cases.

Editorial action is intended to preserve accurate attribution, author accountability, and the integrity of the scholarly record.

🌟 Why the Authorship Policy Matters

A clear Authorship Policy helps ensure that academic credit is assigned fairly, genuine contributors are recognised, and every listed author accepts responsibility for the published research. Transparent authorship also helps readers, institutions, funders, and research collaborators understand who contributed to the study and who is accountable for its accuracy and integrity.

For the Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances (GJETA), responsible authorship is especially important because engineering and technology research often involves multidisciplinary teams, software developers, laboratory specialists, institutional partners, industry collaborators, and researchers from multiple organisations. Clear authorship criteria reduce misunderstandings and strengthen confidence in collaborative scholarly work.

The Authorship Policy helps GJETA:

• recognise genuine intellectual and scholarly contributions;
• prevent ghost, guest, gift, and honorary authorship;
• promote accountability for published research;
• clarify corresponding author and co-author responsibilities;
• encourage transparent contributor statements;
• manage authorship changes and disputes fairly;
• maintain accurate author names, affiliations, and publication metadata;
• protect the reliability and integrity of the scholarly record.

🔗 Related GJETA Editorial and Publishing Policies

Authors, reviewers, editors, and research institutions are encouraged to read the following policies of the Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances for a complete understanding of the journal’s authorship, ethical publishing, and research integrity requirements.

🚀 Publish Responsible Research with GJETA

❓ Frequently Asked Questions About the Authorship Policy

1. What is the Authorship Policy of GJETA?

The Authorship Policy of the Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances (GJETA) explains who qualifies as an author, how scholarly contributions should be recognised, the responsibilities of corresponding authors and co-authors, and how authorship changes or disputes are managed.

2. Who qualifies as an author under the Authorship Policy?

Under the Authorship Policy of the Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances (GJETA), an author should make a genuine intellectual or scholarly contribution to the research, approve the final manuscript, and accept responsibility for the integrity of the published work.

3. What responsibilities does the corresponding author have under the Authorship Policy?

The Authorship Policy requires the corresponding author submitting to the Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances (GJETA) to coordinate communication, confirm co-author approval, verify author information, manage revisions, and ensure that all declarations and contributor details are accurate.

4. How does the Authorship Policy address gift or honorary authorship?

The Authorship Policy of the Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances (GJETA) does not permit gift, guest, or honorary authorship. Academic seniority, funding, institutional authority, or professional reputation alone does not justify inclusion as an author.

5. Can artificial intelligence be listed as an author under the Authorship Policy?

No. Under the Authorship Policy of the Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances (GJETA), artificial intelligence systems cannot be listed as authors because they cannot approve the manuscript, accept accountability, disclose conflicts, or take responsibility for research integrity.

6. How are authorship changes handled under the Authorship Policy?

The Authorship Policy requires requests submitted to the Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances (GJETA) to include a clear explanation, the agreement of all affected authors, and updated contributor information. Changes after acceptance or publication may require additional review or a formal correction.

7. How are disputes managed under the Authorship Policy?

When authors cannot resolve a dispute, the Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances (GJETA) may pause editorial processing, request written explanations, and refer the matter to the relevant institution or research integrity office for investigation.

8. Does the Authorship Policy require all authors to approve the manuscript?

Yes. The Authorship Policy of the Global Journal of Engineering and Technology Advances (GJETA) requires all listed authors to review and approve the submitted manuscript, agree to the author list and order, and accept responsibility for their contributions.