The International Journal of Clinical Studies and Medical Research (IJCSMR) is committed to promoting transparency, accountability, and integrity in scholarly publishing. The journal follows the authorship recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the ethical guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Authorship Criteria

Only individuals who have made substantial intellectual contributions to a manuscript should be listed as authors. In accordance with the ICMJE Recommendations, all authors must meet all of the following criteria:

• Made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data.
• Participated in drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content.
• Approved the final version of the manuscript before submission and publication.
• Agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work and to ensure that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the research are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Individuals who do not meet all four criteria should not be listed as authors but may be acknowledged for their contributions.

Contributorship

The corresponding author should provide a clear description of each author's individual contribution at the time of submission. Contributions may include:

• Study conception and design
• Data collection
• Data analysis and interpretation
• Methodology development
• Manuscript drafting
• Critical revision
• Supervision
• Project administration
• Funding acquisition

The Editorial Office may request clarification regarding author contributions whenever necessary.

Corresponding Author Responsibilities

The corresponding author is responsible for:

• Ensuring that all eligible contributors are included as authors.
• Confirming that all authors meet the ICMJE authorship criteria.
• Obtaining approval of the final manuscript from all co-authors.
• Managing communication with the journal throughout the submission, peer-review, and publication process.
• Ensuring the accuracy of all author information, including affiliations and ORCID iDs where applicable.

Acknowledgements

Individuals who contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship should be recognized in the Acknowledgements section, with their permission. Such contributions may include:

• Technical assistance
• Administrative support
• Statistical consultation
• Language editing
• General supervision
• Funding or logistical support

Acknowledgement does not imply authorship.

Changes to Authorship

Requests to add, remove, or rearrange authors after manuscript submission must be submitted in writing by the corresponding author and include:

• A detailed explanation for the requested change.
• Written consent from all listed authors, including any author being added or removed.

The Editorial Office will evaluate such requests in accordance with COPE guidance. Authorship changes after acceptance will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Authorship Misconduct

The journal does not tolerate unethical authorship practices, including but not limited to:

• Gift (Honorary) Authorship
• Guest Authorship
• Ghost Authorship
• Purchased Authorship
• Omission of eligible contributors
• Misrepresentation of author contributions

Suspected cases of authorship misconduct will be investigated following COPE guidelines and may result in manuscript rejection, publication correction, retraction, or notification of the authors' institution where appropriate.

Author Identification

Authors are encouraged to provide their ORCID iD during submission to ensure accurate identification and improve the visibility and attribution of their scholarly work.

Editorial Assessment

The Editorial Office reserves the right to request:

• Author contribution statements.
• ORCID verification.
• Institutional confirmation of authorship.
• Additional documentation supporting authorship claims.

Failure to provide satisfactory information may delay the editorial process or result in rejection of the manuscript.

Compliance with International Standards

IJCSMR adheres to internationally recognized best practices in authorship and contributorship as recommended by:

• International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE)
• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
• Council of Science Editors (CSE)
• World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)

Commitment to Responsible Authorship

IJCSMR is committed to ensuring that authorship accurately reflects individual scholarly contributions and that all published research upholds the highest standards of integrity, transparency, accountability, and ethical publishing. Authors are expected to comply fully with this policy throughout the submission, peer-review, and publication process.