This page is part of MIT's Guidelines for Ethical Authorship and Publication Practices.
Because MIT’s research and scholarly works span many different disciplines, there isn’t a single authorship rule that works for everyone. Authorship practices can vary by field, but many areas of academia and scientific research use (or adapt) the guidelines from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) as a helpful starting point.
At MIT, it’s a good practice to limit authorship to individuals who have significantly contributed to the work and are prepared to take responsibility for it. In general, authors should have done all of the following:
- Made a significant contribution to the idea, design, execution, or analysis and interpretation of the project
- Been involved in writing or revising the manuscript or other scholarly output
- Reviewed and approved the final version before publication
- Agreed to be accountable for their own contributions and to help address any questions about the accuracy or integrity of the work
These criteria help ensure that authorship is reserved for those who both deserve credit and can stand behind the work. Depending on the discipline, journal, or publisher, additional or slightly different authorship expectations may apply, so it’s always a good idea to check and discuss relevant field- or journal-specific guidelines early in the process.