Contribution, Authorship, and Publication

Contribution is a living record

A contribution record captures the work performed, evidence produced, decisions influenced, drafts reviewed, methods strengthened, responsibility accepted, and time or milestones associated with the contribution. It gives the team a shared factual basis for recognition.

Roles can evolve. A contributor may begin with evidence mapping and later accept responsibility for analysis, interpretation, or drafting. The record should evolve with the work.

Authorship with accountability

Authorship is determined through project-specific contribution, substantial intellectual participation, drafting or critical revision, approval of the final work, and accountability for the contribution and integrity of the publication. Participation, seniority, funding, invitation, or group membership alone does not settle authorship.

Other meaningful contributions may be recognized through acknowledgments, contributor taxonomies, presentations, certificates, project portfolios, or other evidence-bearing records.

Readiness, release, and correction

Before release, the team confirms scope, methods, source integrity, permissions, data authority, uncertainty, authorship, conflicts, audience, accessibility, institutional requirements, and final approval. Public scholarship receives the same care for accuracy and permissions as formal manuscripts.

After release, questions and errors are documented, reviewed, corrected, and communicated in a manner proportionate to their importance.

Module deliverables

• Contribution table
• Provisional recognition plan
• Publication-readiness checklist
• Knowledge-return and correction plan

Reflection and scored assessment

Continue the pathway

Return to the complete pathway to review progress, open the next module, or download the guidebook and working packet.