Authorship Principles

These guidelines describe authorship principles and good practices that prospective authors submitting to Chitkara University Publications are expected to follow.

Authorship Clarified

The Journal and Publisher assume that:

• All authors have agreed to the content of the manuscript.
• All authors have given explicit consent for submission.
• Necessary approvals (if required) have been obtained from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work was carried out.

All listed authors should have:

• Made 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.
• Drafted the work or revised it critically for important intellectual content and been involved in the approval of the final version for publication.
• Agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work, ensuring that questions related to accuracy or integrity are investigated and resolved.

Refer to COPE guidelines for more details-Authorship | COPE: Committee on Publication Ethics

Disclosures and Declarations

Authors must disclose:

• Sources of funding.
• Financial or non-financial conflicts of interest.
• Ethics committee approval (for studies involving humans or animals).
• Informed consent for studies with human participants.
• Animal welfare statements (where relevant).

Disclosures should be included when work may impact public health, safety, or welfare.

Data Transparency

Authors should ensure that all data, materials, and software code supporting their claims are made available, in line with disciplinary standards on data sharing.

Role of the Corresponding Author

The Corresponding Author acts on behalf of all co-authors and is responsible for:

• Confirming that all listed authors approved the manuscript before submission (including order of authors).
• Managing all communication with the Journal before and after publication.
• Ensuring transparency on re-use of material and disclosure of any unpublished work included in the manuscript.
• Including all disclosures, declarations, and data transparency statements as appropriate.

Note: Communication may be delegated to a Contact or Submitting Author, but the Corresponding Author must be clearly indicated in the manuscript.

Author Contributions

Where feasible, a contribution statement should be provided, outlining each author’s specific role (e.g., conceptualization, methodology, writing, funding acquisition). This should appear on the separate title page.

Affiliation

• The primary affiliation should reflect where the majority of the work was conducted.
• Current addresses may also be noted.
• Affiliations will not be updated after publication.

Changes to Authorship

• The correct author list, order, and Corresponding Author must be confirmed at submission.
• Changes (adding, deleting, or re-ordering authors) are not permitted after acceptance.
• In rare cases, changes may be considered at the revision stage with full justification and Editor-in-Chief approval.

Note: Author names will be published exactly as provided in the accepted submission. Ensure accuracy at submission.

Author Identification

Authors are encouraged to use their ORCID iD when submitting. Authors without an ORCID may obtain one during submission.

Deceased or Incapacitated Authors

If a co-author passes away or becomes incapacitated during preparation or review, co-authors may include them with approval from a legal representative (e.g., a direct relative).

Authorship Issues or Disputes

The Journal will not adjudicate authorship disputes. Authors must resolve disagreements among themselves or through their institutions. The Journal may withdraw a manuscript under dispute or, in the case of published work, notify the institution(s).

Confidentiality

Authors must treat all communication with the Journal as confidential. This includes correspondence with Editors, Handling Editors, and reviewers’ reports unless explicit consent is given to share such information.