Author Credit and Contribution Policy

The Journal of Development and Social Sciences (JDSS) believes that every person listed as an author should have made a genuine contribution to the research and manuscript. The journal also believes that contributors who do not qualify for authorship should receive appropriate acknowledgement.

Authors are expected to provide clear information about their individual contributions when requested by the journal.

1. Author Contributions

Where applicable, JDSS encourages authors to describe their contributions using the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy). This helps readers understand who was responsible for different parts of the research.

The following contribution roles may be used:

  • Conceptualization: Developing the main research idea, questions, and objectives.
  • Methodology: Developing the research design, methods, or analytical approach.
  • Software: Developing or using software or code required for the research.
  • Validation: Checking the reliability and accuracy of the research process or results.
  • Formal Analysis: Applying statistical, mathematical, or other analytical methods to the data.
  • Investigation: Conducting the research, collecting information, or carrying out the study.
  • Resources: Providing research materials, facilities, data, equipment, or other essential resources.
  • Data Curation: Organizing, managing, documenting, and maintaining research data.
  • Writing – Original Draft: Preparing the initial manuscript.
  • Writing – Review & Editing: Reviewing, revising, and improving the manuscript.
  • Visualization: Preparing figures, charts, tables, or other visual material.
  • Supervision: Providing academic guidance and oversight of the research.
  • Project Administration: Coordinating the research project and related activities.
  • Funding Acquisition: Obtaining financial support for the research.

Not every contribution role applies to every article.

2. Who Qualifies as an Author?

A person should normally be listed as an author only when they have made a substantial intellectual contribution to the research and have taken responsibility for the published work.

Authors should have contributed substantially to the research or manuscript and should:

  1. Contribute to the research idea, design, methodology, data collection, analysis, or interpretation.
  2. Participate in writing the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content.
  3. Approve the final version of the manuscript before publication.
  4. Accept responsibility for their contribution and cooperate in addressing questions about the accuracy or integrity of the work.

All listed authors should meet the journal's authorship requirements.

3. Contributors Who Are Not Authors

Some people may provide valuable assistance without meeting the requirements for authorship. Such contributions may include:

  • General administrative assistance.
  • Routine technical support.
  • Language or proofreading assistance.
  • General supervision without substantial intellectual involvement.
  • Financial or institutional support.
  • Other limited assistance.

These individuals may be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section when appropriate.

Authors should obtain permission from individuals before including their names in the acknowledgements.

4. Use of AI and Authorship

AI systems, including generative AI tools, cannot be listed as authors or co-authors.

AI tools cannot take responsibility for the research, approve a final manuscript, respond to questions about the work, or accept accountability for research integrity.

Authors may use AI tools for appropriate research or writing assistance in accordance with the JDSS Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy.

Any material use of AI should be disclosed according to that policy, and the human authors remain fully responsible for the final manuscript.

5. Author Order

Authors should agree on the order of names before submitting the manuscript.

The order should reflect the contributors' agreement about their relative contributions to the research. In many disciplines, the first author is the main contributor, while the corresponding author manages communication with the journal. However, JDSS does not impose one universal system for determining author order because practices may differ between research teams and disciplines.

Any change in author order after submission should be explained to the editorial office and approved by all affected authors.

6. Corresponding Author

The corresponding author is the main contact between the authors and JDSS.

The corresponding author is responsible for:

  • Completing the submission process.
  • Providing accurate information about all authors.
  • Coordinating communication among co-authors.
  • Responding to editorial and reviewer queries.
  • Coordinating revisions.
  • Confirming that all authors approve the submitted and final versions.
  • Providing an appropriate contact email for journal correspondence.
  • Assisting with post-publication questions concerning the article when necessary.

Being the corresponding author does not necessarily mean being the first author.

7. Submitting Author

The submitting author may be the corresponding author or another member of the research team.

The submitting author should ensure that:

  • The correct manuscript is submitted.
  • All authors are properly identified.
  • Author names and affiliations are accurate.
  • The journal receives the required declarations.
  • The corresponding author and other authors are aware of the submission.

8. Unethical Authorship

JDSS does not accept authorship arrangements that misrepresent individual contributions.

The following practices are considered unethical:

Ghost Authorship

A person who made a substantial contribution is deliberately left out of the author list.

Gift or Honorary Authorship

A person is listed as an author despite not making a sufficient contribution to the research or manuscript.

Unapproved Authorship

A person's name is added as an author without their knowledge or agreement.

Unapproved Removal

An author's name is removed without their knowledge or agreement.

Authors should resolve authorship issues among themselves before submission whenever possible.

9. Changes to Authorship

Any request to add, remove, or change the order of authors after submission must be submitted to the editorial office with a clear explanation.

The journal may require written confirmation from all authors before approving a change.

After publication, changes to authorship will normally be considered only when there is a strong and documented reason. Where necessary, JDSS may request information from the authors' institution before making a decision.

10. Authorship Disputes

JDSS expects authors to resolve disagreements about authorship before submitting a manuscript.

If an authorship dispute arises during review or after publication, the journal may:

  1. Ask the authors to provide a written explanation.
  2. Request contribution statements from the individuals involved.
  3. Place the manuscript or publication process on hold while the matter is reviewed.
  4. Ask the relevant institution or institutions to investigate when the authors cannot resolve the dispute themselves.
  5. Take appropriate editorial action after receiving reliable information about the dispute.

JDSS normally does not act as the investigator of personal or institutional disputes. Where necessary, the relevant institution may be asked to determine the appropriate authorship arrangement.

11. Responsibility of All Authors

All authors should:

  • Read and approve the final manuscript.
  • Agree to the author order.
  • Confirm that their contribution is accurately described.
  • Ensure that the work is original.
  • Disclose relevant conflicts of interest.
  • Cooperate with the journal if questions arise about the research.
  • Take reasonable responsibility for the integrity of their contribution.

12. Contribution Statement

JDSS may request an author contribution statement during submission, revision, or before publication.

A contribution statement may be presented in a simple format, for example:

Author Contributions: Author A contributed to conceptualization and methodology. Author B conducted the investigation and formal analysis. Author C contributed to writing, review, and editing. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

The exact format may be adjusted according to the needs of the article.

13. Contact

Questions concerning authorship, contributor roles, or changes in authorship should be directed to the JDSS Editorial Office:

Email:editor@jdss.org.pk

JDSS aims to ensure that authors receive fair recognition and that the published author list accurately reflects the people responsible for the scholarly work.