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1 July 2024: The Editorial Publishing & Policy Resource is scheduled to be archived. This page may not contain the most updated version of the information and is being retained for reference until 1 August 2024. Specific redirect information will be provided. |
| Cochrane’s editorial and publishing policies can now be found on the Cochrane Library Editorial policies page. Cochrane authors and editorial teams should refer to the Cochrane Library as the primary source of information on this policy. For editorial guidance on policies the EPPR remains the primary location. |
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- Authors have complete autonomy to change the author byline.
- Cochrane adheres to the Committee for Publication Ethics (COPE) guidance, which says all authors should confirm they agree with changes to the byline in writing.
- Agreement is recorded through signatures on a Changes of Authorship form, available to download from within our Authorship policy.
- Authors will need to complete the form and collect signatures from previous and current authors to show they have agreed to this change.
- It is the authors' responsibility to confirm all authors agree with changes. Cochrane cannot mediate in authorship disputes.
Post-publication
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, including during authoring phase
- Cochrane authors must complete a signed Changes of Authorship form when they add, remove, or re-order authors on their byline. This applies after publication and to reviews or updates, whose authorship has changed since the previous published protocol or review version, respectively.
- Requests to change bylines before submission, can go to Cochrane groups or to Cochrane Support.
- If changes are made before submission, authors should submit a completed Changes of Authorship form for editorial assessment with their next submission.
- The only point at which written agreement is not required for byline changes, is before the first submission of a draft protocol (at this point, there is neither a submission or publication on record).
Pre-publication
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after submission
- Authors requesting a change in authorship (modify the order, remove, or add an author) after they have submitted their article must send a completed Changes in Authorship form to the editor handling their article.
- Requests to change bylines after submission, should go to the Managing Editor.
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