Authorship: who, why and what not.

ABSTRACT

Concerning authorship, order of authorship and ethics therein, contributors and publishers both are equally nonplussed by multiple definitions. A manuscript is the intellectual property of authors, not the study sponsor – because, funding, supervision, review or approval of an information product, by themselves, do not justify authorship. The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommends that authorship be based on the following 4 criteria