Research conducted with the Global OHNS Initiative should adhere to the following guidelines:
RESEARCH
Research Equity Guidelines (published in OTO Open)
The Global OHNS Initiative has established guidelines for authorship in research projects to ensure that all contributors are fairly recognized and acknowledged for their contributions.
1. Global research projects will aim to include a diverse team of students, trainees, and researchers of various languages, countries, experience, and expertise. Region-specific research will include regional representation from the initiation of the project and will prioritize having local representatives as first or co-first authors to highlight and develop local expertise. Global projects will include diverse, global representation.
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2. All authors will meet early in the project to draft role descriptions (including provisional first and senior authors), ensuring that each role is defined and agreed upon. These roles will guide the order of authorship. Authorship discussions will occur early in the research process and be reviewed periodically throughout the research.
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3. Authors should be involved early in project development and have meaningful roles in subsequent academic outputs such as manuscripts, abstracts, and articles.
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4. All authors listed will satisfy the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) authorship criteria.
5. ​The first, corresponding, and/or senior authors of a publication have primary responsibility for all aspects of the work including project development, circulation for review, and submission. They will oversee all other authors' standards for authorship and will present concise, written descriptions of contributions to the work, which must be approved by all authors. This record must be submitted to the Global OHNS Initiative project manager to be shared with the initiative both at the initiation of the project and again prior to publication. .
6. Each research project must be overseen by a senior researcher who can attest to the veracity of the work.
7. Manuscripts should be submitted for review by Global OHNS Initiative members to provide input before final approval.
8. First authors should have priority to present the research e.g. at conferences.
Single Institution or Small Group Project Guidelines
For single institution or small group projects, authors will decide on role descriptions and submit a written statement reflecting authorship as part of any IRB submissions or to the Global OHNS Initiative research team prior to data collection. All final authors will meet ICJME criteria, and the Global OHNS Initiative should be listed as an author if allowed by the journal. A reflexivity statement will be included in all submissions to describe the ways in which equity has been promoted in the research partnership. Non-ICJME authorship will be considered for those who make a meaningful contribution to the project but do not meet ICJME criteria and should be expanded on in the reflexivity statement. Acknowledgements will be provided for those who contribute to the project but do not meet authorship criteria, and translators, interpreters, data collectors, local site leads, and community health workers should be included in the acknowledgements. All studies should have at least one author from the country where the study is conducted, and international studies should aim to have at least one member from each World Bank region and 50% LMIC authors. Open Access journals should be prioritized for publication.
Multi-Site Collaborative Project Guidelines
Roles for involvement in the study will be agreed upon prior to data collection. Roles will include a steering committee, writing group, regional leads, local/institutional lead, local collaborators, data validator, data analysis, and advisory group. The research should be published in a collaborative author format, with individual authors listed in the appendix by their role and region/center. Collaborators may be listed in more than one role. Collaborators can list the publication on their CV using the format: (Role) Collaborative Group (Year published). Article title. Journal, Volume (Issue), Page(s). Publications should also include reflexivity statements, consideration of non-academic contributors, and adhere to regional/local requirements.
Additional Content
Condensed Reflexivity Statement:
“This study was designed in partnership with local researchers and stakeholders to address local research and policy priorities. Funding was used to support the local research team and to hire research staff who were acknowledged in the authorship of the study. Research partners were provided with access to the study data, supported in developing their analytical skills, and collaborated in interpreting the data and developing research products. The leadership, contribution, and ownership of this work by local researchers was recognized within the authorship, and early career researchers and gender balance were included. Safeguarding procedures were in place to protect local study participants and researchers.”
Example Text to Recognize Global OHNS Initiative Member Contributions:
We wish to include the Global OHNS Initiative as an author to acknowledge its role in supporting and facilitating this research. We are including an expanded list of contributors (on behalf of the Global OHNS Initiative) in the acknowledgements section to recognize individual collaborators who do not meet criteria for authorship but who have made significant contributions to the project.
Supporting Resources
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International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) criteria
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Reflexivity Statements
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Authorship Guidelines