What suffices to warrant authorship in scientific research?

In scientific research, authorship is generally based on the principle of making significant contributions to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research study. This means that to be considered an author, an individual should have played an integral role in producing the work, which can encompass a variety of contributions, such as forming the research question, designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and writing or revising the manuscript for publication.

Significant contributions ensure that authors have a substantial intellectual involvement in the work, which contributes to accountability and responsibility for the findings. This principle aligns with several authorship guidelines, such as those from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), which emphasizes that authors should be able to take public responsibility for the content of the manuscript.

While other factors, like funding acquisition, participating in technical aspects, and manuscript submission, are important in the research process, they do not, on their own, justify authorship. Such roles may represent important support functions, but they lack the direct intellectual contribution to warrant authorship status. Thus, making significant contributions is the cornerstone that determines authorship in scientific research.