Authorship and Contributorship

1. Introduction

Performa: Media Ilmiah Teknik Industri is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and transparency in scholarly publishing, including the fair and accurate attribution of authorship and contributorship. This policy sets out the criteria for authorship, the responsibilities borne by authors, and the procedures for acknowledging contributions, so that every individual who has made a significant intellectual contribution to a manuscript receives appropriate recognition. The policy is consistent with the guidelines issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

2. Description

Authorship carries considerable academic, social, and financial significance, as it confers credit for a piece of work. At the same time, it entails responsibility and accountability for the work once published. PERFORMA defines an “author” as an individual who has made a substantial intellectual contribution to both the research and the manuscript.

Contributorship denotes participation in the research or in the preparation of the manuscript that, although it does not satisfy all the criteria for authorship, nonetheless merits recognition.

Unethical authorship practices compromise the integrity of the scholarly record. Accordingly, PERFORMA expressly prohibits the following practices:

  • Gift Authorship (Guest or Honorary Authorship): Listing as authors individuals who do not satisfy the established authorship criteria, frequently on the basis of their seniority or reputation, or in expectation of a reciprocal favour.
  • Ghost Authorship: Omitting from the author list an individual whose substantial contribution qualifies them for authorship, or failing to acknowledge individuals (e.g., professional or medical writers) who assisted in writing or preparing the manuscript.
  • Denial of Authorship: Excluding from the author list individuals who have fulfilled the criteria for authorship.

Transparency in reporting contributions is indispensable. PERFORMA therefore promotes practices that clearly define the roles and contributions of every individual involved in the research and the preparation of the manuscript.

3. Policy

  • Criteria for Authorship: PERFORMA requires every individual listed as an author to satisfy all of the established authorship criteria. Authorship should be based on the following four criteria, adapted from the ICMJE recommendations:
    1. Substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work, OR to the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND
    2. Drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content; AND
    3. Approval of the final version to be published; AND
    4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work, thereby ensuring that questions concerning the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are properly investigated and resolved. Every individual who fulfils all four criteria should be listed as an author.
  • Non-Author Contributors (Acknowledgements): Individuals who have contributed to the research or the manuscript, but whose contributions do not warrant authorship under the criteria above, should be recognised in the “Acknowledgements” section of the manuscript. Contributions that should be acknowledged include, but are not limited to:
    • Securing research funding.
    • General supervision of a research group or general administrative support.
    • Writing assistance, technical editing, language editing, and proofreading.
    • Data collection or participation in a clinical trial as a team member, without a substantial contribution to the design, analysis, or interpretation of the study.
    • Provision of materials or study participants.
    • Any other contribution that does not satisfy all of the authorship criteria. Every individual named in the Acknowledgements section must have given explicit consent to be acknowledged, and the corresponding author is responsible for obtaining such consent.
  • Order of Authors: The sequence in which authors are listed should be decided jointly by all co-authors; PERFORMA does not prescribe any particular order. Authors are expected to agree on the order prior to submission and should be able to justify it if requested by the journal. Because the significance of author position (e.g., first or last author) differs across disciplines and research groups, it should be determined by the authors themselves.
  • Corresponding Author: One author must be designated as the corresponding author. This author bears primary responsibility for communicating with the journal throughout the submission, peer review, and publication process. In addition, the corresponding author is generally responsible for:
    • Ensuring that all listed authors satisfy PERFORMA’s authorship criteria and have approved both the submitted manuscript and any subsequent revisions.
    • Coordinating all communication between the journal and the co-authors and keeping them informed of the manuscript’s progress.
    • Verifying the accuracy of all author details, institutional affiliations, and conflict of interest disclosures.
    • Responding to queries and critiques raised after publication.
  • Changes to Authorship: Any request to add, remove, or reorder authors after the initial submission of the manuscript must be submitted by the corresponding author to the Editor-in-Chief. Such a request must contain:
    • A clear justification for the proposed change.
    • Written confirmation (e.g., by email or letter) from all authors, including any author being added or removed, indicating their agreement with the proposed change. Changes to authorship after a manuscript has been accepted for publication are strongly discouraged and will be considered only in exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief. Where such a change is approved after acceptance, a formal corrigendum may be required.
  • Contributorship Statements (Author Contributions): PERFORMA encourages authors to include an “Author Contributions” statement in their manuscript that specifies the particular contribution of each author to the research and the preparation of the manuscript. Such a statement enhances transparency and ensures that individual efforts are properly recognised. The CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) framework may be used for this purpose.
  • Prohibition of Unethical Authorship Practices: PERFORMA expressly prohibits gift, guest, honorary, and ghost authorship. Every listed author must satisfy the defined authorship criteria. Any individual or organisation that provides writing or editorial assistance (e.g., professional writers or AI tools) but does not meet the authorship criteria must be duly acknowledged, together with a disclosure of any funding received for such assistance.
  • Group Authorship / Multi-center Studies: Where a manuscript is submitted on behalf of a consortium or research group, the name of the group may appear in the author list. Nevertheless, PERFORMA requires a clear list of the individual group members who satisfy the authorship criteria. These individuals should be named in the manuscript (e.g., as authors or in an appendix) and must collectively fulfil the requirements of authorship and accountability. The corresponding author should state the group name clearly and identify the members who assume responsibility for the work as a whole.

4. Technicalities to Achieve and Materialise the Policies

  • Authorship Declaration Form: At the time of submission, the corresponding author will be required to confirm that all listed authors satisfy the journal’s authorship criteria, that each of them has reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript, and that they consent to its submission to PERFORMA. This confirmation may be incorporated into the submission process or provided through a separate form. The journal may also request a statement describing the contribution of each author.
  • Managing Authorship Disputes:
    • Prevention: PERFORMA strongly recommends that authorship, contributor roles, and the order of authors be discussed and agreed upon by all members of the research team at the outset of the project, and revisited as the project progresses, particularly when new individuals join or roles change. Maintaining a written record of these agreements is advisable.
    • Disputes Arising Before Publication: Should an authorship dispute arise among the authors before the manuscript is published, PERFORMA will, as a rule, not act as an arbiter. Instead, the journal will ask the authors to resolve the dispute among themselves or through their respective institutions, and the processing of the manuscript may be put on hold until the matter is settled.
    • Disputes Arising After Publication: Where an unresolved authorship dispute or a credible allegation of authorship misconduct (e.g., an omitted author or a guest author) is brought to the journal’s attention after publication, PERFORMA will investigate the matter in accordance with COPE guidelines. This process may include contacting all the authors concerned to obtain their statements, requesting the authors’ institutions to conduct an investigation, and, where necessary, publishing a correction, an expression of concern, or, in rare cases of proven misconduct, a retraction of the article.
  • Guidance and Resources: Authors are encouraged to familiarise themselves with international authorship standards, such as those issued by COPE and the ICMJE. PERFORMA will make links to these resources available on its website.
  • Institutional Policies: Authors are expected to comply with the authorship policies of their respective institutions and funding agencies.
  • Accountability: All authors bear responsibility for the integrity of the work reported in the manuscript. By submitting the manuscript, the authors jointly affirm their confidence in the accuracy and integrity of their co-authors’ contributions.

This policy is intended to promote fairness, transparency, and accountability in matters of authorship and contributorship. PERFORMA reserves the right to request additional information or clarification from authors concerning authorship and contributions at any stage of the submission or publication process.