Authorship Criteria

Individuals listed as authors on a manuscript must meet all of the following conditions:

1. Substantial Contribution: Contributed substantially to the conception or design of the work; or to the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data.
2. Drafting and Revision: Participated in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content.
3. Approval of Final Version: Reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript prior to submission.
4. Accountability: Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring questions related to accuracy or integrity are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Order of Authorship

The order in which authors are listed should reflect the relative contribution of each individual to the work. Decisions about authorship order should be discussed among collaborators as early as possible and revisited as the work evolves. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all authors agree on the order of authorship prior to submission.

Acknowledgments

Individuals who contributed to the project but do not meet the criteria for authorship (e.g., administrative support, data collection assistance, or general supervision) should be recognized in the Acknowledgments section. Specific contributions should be described without implying authorship.

Dispute Resolution

Authorship disputes should ideally be resolved within the author group through open communication. If a dispute cannot be resolved internally, the journal editorial office may be consulted for guidance. The journal reserves the right to request supporting documentation for contributions if questions arise about authorship legitimacy.

Ethical Considerations

• Honorary or Gift Authorship: Listing individuals as authors who did not make sufficient contributions is unethical and unacceptable.
• Ghost Authorship: Failing to recognize individuals who substantially contributed to the work is also unethical.