Policy on Authorship Modifications

Authorship in scholarly publishing is more than just a credit; it is a formal acknowledgment of contributions to research and a cornerstone of academic integrity. At CrossLink Studies (CLS) affiliate journals, we strictly adhere to ethical standards to maintain the credibility of published work. One such standard is our policy on authorship modification post-acceptance. Once a manuscript is accepted for publication in any CLS affiliate journal, changes to the authorship list—including additions, removals, or alterations to author order—are not permitted. This policy applies universally, irrespective of the nature or scale of the requested modification. Authors are expected to finalize the author list during the submission process and address any disputes or adjustments before acceptance. During peer review, any author-related updates must be communicated in writing, accompanied by documented consent from all contributors. Post-acceptance, however, the author list is considered final and immutable.  

This policy ensures accountability and transparency by making the authorship list a definitive record of responsibility and credit for the study. Altering the list after acceptance could lead to confusion regarding contributions and raise questions about the integrity of the publication process. By finalizing the author list at the time of acceptance, CLS affiliate journals uphold transparency in the scientific record. Besides, this approach aligns with ethical standards in collaborative research, where authorship disputes should be resolved internally before submission or during the peer review process. Allowing changes after acceptance could indicate unresolved conflicts that may undermine the integrity of the research.  

CLS affiliate journals follow global publication norms set by organizations like the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), which emphasize that author lists should be finalized before submission. This alignment with best practices ensures consistency and fairness across disciplines. Moreover, post-acceptance changes to the author list could disrupt the integrity of the peer review process, as evaluations are based on the intellectual content of the manuscript and the expertise of the listed authors. Alterations at this stage may call into question the validity of these evaluations.  

Introducing changes during the post-acceptance phase also disrupts the production workflow, which is focused on preparing the manuscript for publication, including formatting, proofreading, and final approvals. Such modifications increase the risk of errors in metadata, indexing, and citation records. To avoid complications and ensure a seamless publication process, authors are strongly advised to finalize the authorship list before submission. By adhering to this policy, CLS affiliate journals uphold the highest ethical standards, maintaining accountability, transparency, and integrity in scholarly publishing.