Determining Authorship and Writing a Query Letter

Objectives

In this module learners will

decide to write a single authored or multi-authored manuscript
understand the rights to authorship position from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors; and
write a letter of query.

Lectures

Module 8 Slides

Authorship (12:00 min)

Experienced Author - Single Author (3:25 min)

Experienced Author - Multiple Authors (4:11 min)

Writing a Letter of Query (5:27 min)

Activities

Activity Log Workbook
- Interview: Single vs. Multi-Authorship (Page 9)
  - Interview an experienced author and discuss his/her experience as a single versus co-author of an article.
- Optional: Multi-Authored (Page 10)
  - If you decide your manuscript will be multi-authored, determine the following:
    - Co-authors
    - Order of authors
    - Draft an agreement for dismissing an author for non-compliance with due dates
- National Guidelines (Page 10)
  - Review the section on the Roles and Responsibilities of Authors on the website of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Be sure your selected authors meet these guidelines.
- Criteria for a Letter of Query: See Workbook page 11 for detailed instructions.
- Example letter of query
Reflection Assignment
- Authorship: (Page 10)
  - Write down the pros and cons for both single- and multi-authorship. Which seems to benefit your article the most?

Readings and Resources

Baggs, J. G. (2008). Issues and rules for authors concerning authorship versus acknowledgments, dual publication, self plagiarism, and salami publishing (editorial). Research in Nursing & Health, 31(4), 295-297.

Davidhazar, R. (2004). Guidelines for citing multiple authors. Nurse Author and Editor, 14(1), 1-4.

Davis, E. & Tornquist, E. (1995). Writing partnerships: A CNS and staff nurses write for publication. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 9(4), 215-220.

Erlen, J., Simmoff, L., Sereika, S., & Sutton, L. (1997). Multiple authorship: Issues and recommendations. Journal of Professional Nursing, 13(4), 262-270.

Flanagin, A., Fontanarosa, P.B, & DeAngelis, C.D. (2002). Authorship for research groups. JAMA, 288(24), 3166-3167.

Johnson, S. (2004). Who’s idea is it? Nurse Author and Editor, 14(2), 1-4.

Kennedy, M.S., Barnsteiner, J. & Daly, J. (2014). Honorary and ghost authorship in nursing publications. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 46(6), 416-422.

King, C., McGuire, D., Longman, A., & Carroll-Johnson, R. (1997). Peer review, authorship, ethics, and conflict of interest. Image – The Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 29(2), 163-167.

Lundberg, G. & Glass, R. (1996). What does authorship mean in a peer-reviewed medical journal? JAMA 276(1), 75-76.

Oddi, L., & Oddi, A. (2000). Student-faculty joint authorship: Ethical and legal concerns. Journal of Professional Nursing, 16(4), 219-227.

Ohler, L. (2003). Improving authorship accountability: Ethical considerations in manuscript preparation. Nurse Author and Editor, 13(2), 7-9.