Authorship

Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (SIJMDS) upholds high standards of authorship integrity and transparency. These guidelines are designed to clarify authorship responsibilities, ethical practices, and criteria for contributor recognition in line with international norms.

1. Authorship Criteria

All authors listed on a manuscript must meet all of the following four criteria (adapted from ICMJE, guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and PNAS standards):

  1. Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; or the creation of new software used in the work.

  2. Drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content.

  3. Final approval of the version to be published.

  4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions related to accuracy or integrity are properly investigated and resolved.

All authors must have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for its content.

2. Authorship Order and Group Responsibility

  • The order of authors should reflect the relative contributions made to the work.

  • All authors must agree to the submitted version and to the order in which their names are listed.

  • Authors must obtain consent from their institution (if required) before submission.

3. Role of the Corresponding Author

The Corresponding Author is the main point of contact with the journal and is responsible for:

  • Ensuring that all authors have seen, approved, and are accountable for the final version of the manuscript.

  • Managing communication between the journal and co-authors during the submission, review, and publication process.

  • Ensuring compliance with journal policies on disclosures, ethical approvals, and data transparency.

  • Coordinating responses to reviewer comments and revisions.

In the double-blind peer review process, the Corresponding Author must ensure that no identifying information is included in the manuscript file.

4. Author Contributions

Synergy: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies encourages transparency in author contributions. Authors may provide either:

  • A free-text statement, e.g.:

    All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Data collection and analysis were performed by [name], [name], and [name]. The first draft was written by [name], and all authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

  • Or a CRediT taxonomy format:

    Conceptualization: [name]; Methodology: [name]; Writing – original draft: [name]; Writing – review & editing: [name]; Supervision: [name]; etc.

Contribution statements should be added on the title page or in a designated section in the manuscript.

5. Use of ORCID iDs

Authors are encouraged to register for and include their ORCID iD to ensure proper attribution of their work and enhance discoverability.

6. Affiliation

The primary affiliation for each author should be the institution where the majority of their work was done. If an author has subsequently moved, the current address may additionally be stated. Addresses will not be updated or changed after publication of the article.

7. Changes to Authorship

Changes to authorship after submission (addition, removal, or reordering of authors) are not allowed after acceptance and should be avoided during peer review unless justified.

Any change requests during the review stage must:

  • Be explained in a formal letter.

  • Be approved by all co-authors and the Editor-in-Chief.

  • Include confirmation that all authors agree to the change.

Author names and affiliations are published exactly as submitted; please ensure accuracy before submission.

8. Deceased or Incapacitated Authors

If an author passes away or becomes incapacitated during the review or publication process, co-authors may include their name with the consent of a legal representative (e.g., family or institution).

9. Authorship Disputes

The journal does not arbitrate authorship disputes. If disputes arise that cannot be resolved internally, the matter may be referred to the authors' institution(s) or research ethics committees. SIJMDS reserves the right to withdraw a submission or retract a published paper in cases of unresolved disputes.

10. Confidentiality

Authors must treat all communication with the journal—including editorial decisions and reviewer reports—as confidential, unless written permission is given to disclose such content.

11. Compliance with Ethical Standards

All manuscripts must include a “Compliance with Ethical Standards” section, covering:

  • Funding (if applicable)

  • Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

  • Research involving Human Participants and/or Animals

  • Informed Consent

The Corresponding Author must be prepared to provide documentation supporting compliance upon request.

12. Data Transparency

Authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, availability, and integrity of any data, materials, or code supporting their findings. SIJMDS encourages authors to deposit data in open repositories whenever possible and to follow their field’s standard for data sharing.