Authorship Criteria

1. Policy Statement

The TATEFL committed to maintaining transparency, fairness, and accountability in authorship attribution. This policy is informed by the publication ethics principles and guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Authorship should reflect substantial scholarly contributions to the research and manuscript. JoES recognizes that educational research may involve collaboration among researchers, teachers, lecturers, educational institutions, community partners, and other stakeholders. However, authorship must be based on meaningful intellectual contributions rather than professional position, institutional affiliation, seniority, funding, or administrative responsibility alone.

2. Criteria for Authorship

Individuals listed as authors of a manuscript submitted to JoES should have made substantial scholarly contributions to the work and be willing to take responsibility for their contributions. Such contributions may include:

  • Conceiving or designing the research, educational intervention, learning materials, or evaluation framework.
  • Developing the research methodology, collecting data, conducting fieldwork, or implementing educational activities as part of a substantive scholarly contribution.
  • Analyzing or interpreting research data, evidence, or findings.
  • Drafting the manuscript or critically revising it for important intellectual content.
  • Reviewing and approving the final version of the manuscript before submission or publication.
  • Accepting responsibility for their contributions and cooperating in addressing questions concerning the accuracy or integrity of the work.

Authorship should be determined through discussion and mutual agreement among the contributors. Individuals who make substantial intellectual contributions should be given a reasonable opportunity to participate in manuscript preparation and revision. Authorship must not be assigned solely on the basis of academic rank, supervisory relationships, employment status, or financial support.

3. Contributions That Do Not Independently Qualify for Authorship

Some activities contribute to a research project but do not, by themselves, establish eligibility for authorship. These may include:

  • Providing general supervision or administrative assistance.
  • Obtaining funding or institutional approval without additional substantive scholarly contributions.
  • Providing routine data collection or technical assistance without meaningful involvement in the intellectual development of the work.
  • Providing language editing, proofreading, formatting, or other editorial support alone.
  • Holding a leadership position or being affiliated with an institution involved in the research.

Individuals who have contributed to the work but do not qualify for authorship may be acknowledged in the Acknowledgments section, with their consent. Their contributions should be described accurately and transparently.

4. Author Contributions Statement

JoES encourages authors to provide a clear statement describing the contributions of each author. This statement should reflect the actual work undertaken and help readers understand how responsibility was distributed among the research team.

Contributions may include conceptualization, methodology, investigation, data curation, formal analysis, validation, writing the original draft, reviewing and editing the manuscript, supervision, and project administration, where applicable.

All listed authors must agree that the contribution statement accurately represents their involvement in the research and manuscript preparation.

5. Responsibilities of the Corresponding Author

The corresponding author serves as the primary contact between the authors and the JoES editorial office throughout the submission, review, and publication processes.

The corresponding author is responsible for:

  • Ensuring that all listed authors have reviewed and approved the submitted manuscript.
  • Confirming that all authors agree with the authorship list and the order in which their names appear.
  • Providing accurate author affiliations, contact information, and contribution statements.
  • Communicating relevant editorial decisions, reviewer comments, and revision requests to the co-authors.
  • Ensuring that any concerns about authorship, research integrity, or undisclosed contributions are communicated to the editorial team when necessary.

The corresponding author must not add, remove, or reorder authors without the knowledge and agreement of the affected authors.

6. Changes in Authorship

Requests to add, remove, or reorder authors after manuscript submission must be supported by a clear explanation and agreement from all affected authors. The request must be submitted to the JoES editorial team for consideration.

The editorial team may request written confirmation from all authors before approving a change. Changes to authorship will not be accepted solely on the basis of personal preference, academic position, or pressure from a supervisor or institution without an appropriate scholarly justification.

JoES reserves the right to suspend editorial processing while an authorship dispute is being clarified. Where a dispute cannot be resolved by the authors, the journal may recommend that the relevant institution or other appropriate body investigate the matter.

7. Authorship Disputes and Unethical Practices

JoES does not support practices that misrepresent authorship or fail to recognize legitimate scholarly contributions. Unacceptable practices include:

  • Gift authorship: Listing an individual as an author despite the absence of a qualifying scholarly contribution.
  • Ghost authorship: Excluding an individual who made a substantial scholarly contribution without appropriate justification.
  • Coercive authorship: Requiring the inclusion of an individual as an author because of their academic rank, supervisory authority, or institutional position without a qualifying contribution.
  • Unauthorized authorship changes: Adding, removing, or reordering authors without the required agreement.
  • Misrepresentation of contributions: Providing inaccurate or misleading information about the roles performed by the authors.

When concerns arise, JoES will assess the available information, communicate with the relevant parties as appropriate, and seek clarification or supporting documentation. Where necessary, the journal may refer the matter to the authors' institutions or other appropriate bodies. Editorial actions will be proportionate to the circumstances and consistent with the journal's publication ethics procedures.

8. AI Tools and Authorship

Artificial intelligence tools, including generative AI systems and large language models, cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of manuscripts submitted to JoES. Authorship requires human judgment, accountability, and the ability to take responsibility for scholarly work.

Authors who use AI tools must comply with the journal's AI Policy. Authors remain responsible for verifying the accuracy of AI-assisted content, ensuring the integrity of research findings, and providing any required disclosure of AI use.

9. Acknowledgments

Individuals or organizations that have contributed to the research but do not meet the criteria for authorship may be acknowledged in the manuscript, provided that their contributions are described accurately and their consent has been obtained where appropriate.

Acknowledgments may recognize assistance with data collection, technical support, language editing, administrative coordination, institutional support, or other contributions that do not independently establish authorship.