Feedback Requested for the Updated Authorship Policy

The University is proposing significant changes to the Authorship Policy (MPF1181) and invites review and feedback from the University community.

This review seeks to better align the Authorship Policy with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research(2018), accompanying Authorship Guide, and the University of Melbourne Policy Framework (MPF1308).

The draft Authorship Policy is accompanied by an Information Sheet providing more detail about the review.

The draft policy will be open for comment until COB Friday, 25 November 2022.  Please send feedback to research-integrity@unimelb.edu.au.

As Chair of the Authorship Policy Working Group, Professor Louise Keogh acknowledges the critical input of members including: (Academics) Thas Nirmalathas; Mike McGuckin; Kat McFerran; Lisa Samas; Peter Woelert (Information Governance Services) Graeme Hairsine; (OREI) Elise Grosser; Lucinda Kolitsis; Becky Argent. 

Notable changes to the policy include:
• Incorporation of the Authorship Procedure (MPF1041) and Authorship Dispute Resolution Procedure (MPF1039) within the Authorship Policy.
• Attribution of authorship now requires an individual’s contributions to meet two or more of the listed authorship criteria (clause 5.2), except for within exceptional circumstances.
• Inclusion of Coordinating Author as an interdisciplinary term to capture the role of senior author, lead author, corresponding author, etc.
• Requirement that a Coordinating Author must be identified within the Authorship Agreement.
• Clear statement that authorship must be agreed to by all authors prior to dissemination, via an Authorship Agreement (clause 5.12).
• Restructure of the Dispute Resolution Procedure under the draft’s Management of Authorship Disputes section (clauses 5.19-5.27). Section identifies that where there is a dispute, and researchers are unable to resolve the matter through direct discussion, the dispute will be referred to the Dean or Delegate for facilitation to reach a resolution. Where there is a CoI, the dispute will be referred to the DVCR for facilitation.
• Specific clause stating that without agreement of authorship, the output cannot be published (clause 5.23).
• Inclusion of Roles and Responsibilities table (Section 6).