Authorship & Contributorship Policy

The UNESA Journal of Chemical Education (UJCEd) is committed to upholding the highest standards of publication ethics, transparency, and scientific integrity in chemical education research. This policy outlines the principles governing authorship eligibility, contributor roles, Corresponding Author responsibilities, authorship modifications, dispute resolution, unethical practices, and the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI).

UJCEd’s policies are aligned with internationally recognized publication ethics frameworks, including the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the American Psychological Association (APA) Ethical Principles, and the CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy).

1. Criteria for Authorship

UJCEd strongly supports inter-institutional and international research collaborations in the field of chemical education. However, institutional affiliation or collaborative agreements cannot be used to justify including individuals who do not meet the core criteria for authorship. Single-authored submissions are welcomed, provided the author independently satisfies all establishing conditions.

To qualify as an Author, an individual must fulfill all four (4) of the following criteria:

  1. Made substantial intellectual contributions to the research concept, methodology, field/classroom data collection, or the analysis and interpretation of empirical data related to chemistry learning;
  2. Participated actively in drafting the initial manuscript (Original Draft) or performing critical intellectual revisions of the scientific content (Review & Editing);
  3. Approved the final version of the manuscript prior to publication;
  4. Agreed to be held accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions regarding the accuracy, validity, or integrity of any part of the paper are thoroughly investigated and resolved.

All individuals meeting these four criteria must be listed as Authors. Conversely, individuals who do not fulfill all four criteria must not be granted authorship status. Administrative authority, academic hierarchy, supervisory roles, provision of research funding, granting access to school/laboratory facilities, or personal relationships do not independently justify an authorship designation.

2. Author Contributions and CRediT Classification

All manuscripts submitted to UJCEd must include an Author Contributions Statement structured according to the 14 taxonomy roles of CRediT:

  • a) Conceptualization – Formulation or evolution of overarching chemical education research goals, hypotheses, and pedagogical aims.
  • b) Methodology – Design or adaptation of instructional models, assessment instruments, or research frameworks.
  • c) Software – Development, programming, or implementation of computer-based chemistry learning tools, simulations, or media.
  • d) Validation – Verification and testing of instrument reliability, instructional validity, or data reproducibility.
  • e) Formal Analysis – Application of statistical, qualitative, or computational techniques to analyze learning outcomes and student data.
  • f) Investigation – Conducting classroom observations, empirical interventions, field data collection, or laboratory experiments.
  • g) Resources – Provision of chemistry lab materials, classroom access, instrumentation, or computational resources.
  • h) Data Curation – Systematic management, organization, annotation, and preservation of research datasets.
  • i) Writing – Original Draft – Preparation, creation, and writing of the initial manuscript draft.
  • j) Writing – Review & Editing – Critical review, commentary, structural revision, or editorial refinement of the manuscript.
  • k) Visualization – Design and presentation of chemical structures, instructional diagrams, statistical charts, or graphical data.
  • l) Supervision – Direct oversight, mentorship, and research leadership throughout project execution.
  • m) Project Administration – Management and operational coordination of the research activities.
  • n) Funding Acquisition – Securing financial support and grant resources.

Authors may be assigned multiple CRediT roles. Fulfilling auxiliary or support functions alone (e.g., providing classroom access, equipment, or research funding) without contributing directly to the drafting or critical editing of the paper does not qualify an individual for authorship. Such contributions should be formally recognized in the Acknowledgements section.

Example Statement:
Author Contributions: [Author Name 1]: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – Original Draft; [Author Name 2]: Formal Analysis, Investigation, Writing – Review & Editing; [Author Name 3]: Data Curation, Visualization, Project Administration.

3. Corresponding Author and Official Declarations

Corresponding Author Responsibilities

The Corresponding Author acts as the sole administrative liaison between the Author group and the UJCEd Editorial Board throughout the submission, peer review, revision, and post-publication processes.

The Corresponding Author is responsible for ensuring that:

  1. All listed individuals meet the four requirements for authorship, and no qualifying contributors have been excluded;
  2. No instances of deceptive authorship (guest, gift, or ghost authors) exist within the manuscript;
  3. All Authors have evaluated, approved, and consented to the submitted manuscript version, Author order, and contribution statements;
  4. All mandatory declarations and supporting documents are submitted accurately.

Direct communication between co-authors and the Editorial Board regarding research ethics, publication integrity, or post-publication concerns remains permissible at all times.

Statement of Manuscript Authenticity

During submission via the Open Journal Systems (OJS), the Corresponding Author must upload a signed Statement of Manuscript Authenticity downloaded from the official UJCEd portal. This document verifies that the submitted work is original, has not been published elsewhere, contains no unethical authorship arrangements, and has been approved by all co-authors.

4. Author Order and Authorship Changes

The list and sequence of Authors must be unanimously decided by all contributors prior to manuscript submission. UJCEd does not arbitrate or determine Author order on behalf of the Authors.

Requesting Authorship Modifications

Any request to add, delete, or reorder Authors, or to change the Corresponding Author after submission must be formally submitted using the UJCEd Authorship Change Request Form.

The request must be accompanied by:

  1. A valid scientific justification for the proposed modification;
  2. Written consent (signatures) from all Authors, including any individuals being added, removed, or reordered;
  3. An updated CRediT Author Contributions Statement; and
  4. A re-signed Statement of Manuscript Authenticity.

Approval of authorship changes is subject to editorial review and is not automatic. As a general rule, authorship modifications are not permitted after a manuscript has been formally accepted for publication, unless required to correct a documented editorial oversight or address an ethical concern.

5. Non-Author Contributors (Acknowledgements)

Individuals who contributed to the study or manuscript preparation but do not satisfy all four core authorship criteria must not be listed as Authors. With their consent, these individuals should be acknowledged in the Acknowledgements section. Examples of non-author contributions include:

  • School teachers, lab technicians, or administrative staff providing operational support during data collection;
  • Technical assistance, statistical consulting, language editing, proofreading, or translation services;
  • Departmental heads or grant sponsors providing general oversight or financial support.

6. Inappropriate Authorship Practices

UJCEd enforces a strict zero-tolerance policy against unethical authorship practices, including:

  • Gift / Guest Authorship: Including individuals who made no substantive intellectual contribution to the study.
  • Honorary Authorship: Granting authorship status based on institutional authority, seniority, or professional position.
  • Ghost Authorship: Omitting qualifying contributors from the Author list, or engaging commercial writing services (paper mills).
  • Purchased Authorship: Buying, selling, or trading authorship slots on submitted or accepted manuscripts.

Allegations of inappropriate authorship constitute academic misconduct and will be thoroughly investigated in accordance with COPE flowcharts and journal integrity procedures.

7. Authorship Disputes

Authors are expected to resolve any disagreements regarding authorship eligibility or ordering prior to manuscript submission.

If an authorship dispute arises during the peer review or editing stage, UJCEd reserves the right to suspend editorial processing until the matter is resolved in writing by the Authors or through formal clarification from their host institutions. UJCEd does not act as an arbiter in private contractual or institutional disputes.

8. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative Technologies

Generative AI tools, Large Language Models (LLMs), chatbots, and AI-assisted writing tools cannot be credited as Authors or Co-Authors. Authorship carries legal, ethical, and intellectual responsibilities that can only be held by human researchers.

Requirements for AI Usage and Disclosure:

  • Human Authors remain entirely responsible for the scientific validity, integrity, and factual accuracy of all content generated or refined with AI assistance.
  • Authors must ensure that AI applications do not introduce fabricated data, biased information, or plagiarized material.
  • The use of Generative AI in study design, data analysis, instructional material drafting, or manuscript refinement must be explicitly disclosed within the Methods or Acknowledgements section (stating the tool name, version, and purpose of usage).
  • Basic spelling, grammar, and syntax correction software do not require formal disclosure.

9. Policy Review

This policy forms an integral part of UJCEd’s editorial guidelines and is subject to periodic review to ensure ongoing compliance with international publishing benchmarks and national journal accreditation requirements (SINTA).