Written Request Required
Any proposed change in authorship must be submitted in writing by the corresponding author with a clear reason, manuscript details and a revised author contribution statement.
Publication Ethics Policy
Authorship Change Request Policy
A transparent policy for requesting addition, removal, order change, contribution correction or post-publication authorship update in journals and scholarly publications managed by UnivColl Publications.
Policy Purpose
Protecting Author Credit, Accountability and the Scholarly Record
Authorship is not only a matter of academic credit; it also carries responsibility for the integrity, originality, accuracy and accountability of a scholarly work. For this reason, UnivColl Publications handles authorship change requests through a careful, documented and transparent editorial process.
This policy applies to author addition, author removal, author order change, corresponding author change, contribution statement correction, affiliation correction, ORCID update and any post-publication authorship amendment requested for a manuscript, article, book chapter, edited volume contribution or conference proceeding managed through the publisher platform.
The publisher does not use authorship change requests to influence peer review, acceptance, rejection, payment, waiver, discount or publication priority. Authorship records are handled separately from Article Processing Charges, publication service payments and commercial communication.
Transparent Authorship Record
Credit • Consent • Contribution • Accountability
- Policy Area Authorship & Contributorship
- Applies To Submitted & Published Works
- Requirement All-Author Consent
- Decision Basis Ethics & Evidence
Core Principles
How Authorship Change Requests Are Evaluated
Every request is reviewed to ensure that author credit is fair, author responsibility is clear and the scholarly record remains accurate and trustworthy.
All-Author Agreement
The request must include written consent from all currently listed authors and from any author proposed to be added or removed.
Editorial and Ethics Review
The journal may examine the reason for the change, contribution evidence, conflict-of-interest disclosures and any risk of guest, gift, ghost or disputed authorship.
No Silent Post-Publication Changes
After publication, authorship changes are not made silently. Approved changes may require a published correction notice and metadata update.
Covered Requests
What Types of Authorship Changes May Be Requested?
Authorship changes may involve the byline, author sequence, contribution statement, affiliation record, corresponding author responsibility or metadata connected with the article. The request must always be justified and properly documented.
- ✓ Addition of an author who made a qualifying intellectual contribution
- ✓ Removal of an author who does not meet authorship criteria or was included in error
- ✓ Change in author order after collective agreement by the author group
- ✓ Correction of author name, affiliation, ORCID iD or institutional details
- ✓ Change of corresponding author or corresponding author email
- ✓ Correction or expansion of author contribution and acknowledgment information
Required Information
Email Editorial Office
Documents and Details Required for a Valid Request
Incomplete or unsigned requests may be returned without editorial processing. Authors should provide complete records at the first stage to avoid delay.
Manuscript title, Paper ID or submission ID, journal name and current manuscript stage
Current author list and proposed revised author list in the exact order requested
Clear explanation for the authorship change and the date when the issue was identified
Revised contribution statement showing the role of each author
Signed consent or official email confirmation from every currently listed author
Signed consent or official email confirmation from each author to be added or removed
Updated conflict-of-interest, funding and ethical declaration information, if applicable
Updated author details including institutional email, affiliation and ORCID iD, wherever available
Editorial Workflow
Authorship Change Review Process
The workflow is designed to protect authors, editors, journals and readers from inaccurate byline changes, hidden disputes and unclear contribution records.
Submit the Request
The corresponding author sends a complete authorship change request to the editorial office with all required details and author confirmations.
Administrative Screening
The editorial office checks whether the request is complete, properly signed and linked to the correct manuscript or published article record.
Author Verification
The journal may contact all authors directly using institutional or previously registered email addresses to verify consent and prevent unauthorized changes.
Editorial Assessment
The editor reviews the reason for change, contribution statement, timing, ethical concerns and any potential authorship dispute.
Decision and Record Update
If approved, the manuscript record, article metadata, proofs or published correction notice are updated according to the publication stage.
Permanent Documentation
All authorship change documents are retained as part of the journal record for accountability, audit and publication ethics purposes.
Publication Stage Rules
Different Rules Apply at Different Publication Stages
Authorship changes become more sensitive as a manuscript moves closer to publication. After a work becomes the Version of Record, changes must protect transparency for readers, indexing services, DOI records and long-term metadata systems.
Authors should decide authorship, author order and contribution responsibilities before submitting the manuscript. The publisher is not responsible for internal author-group planning.
Changes may be considered only after written explanation and consent from all authors. Review may be paused while authorship verification is completed.
Changes at this stage are treated as exceptional and may delay publication until the editor and production team complete verification.
Changes to the Version of Record may require a formal correction notice, updated article page, updated PDF information and metadata maintenance.
Post-Publication Integrity
No Hidden Changes to the Version of Record
After an article, chapter or proceeding paper is published, the public record must remain transparent. If an authorship change is approved after publication, the publisher may issue a correction notice, update the article landing page, update the PDF where appropriate and maintain the metadata connected with the work.
A correction notice may identify the nature of the authorship amendment without disclosing unnecessary private information. The purpose is to protect the scholarly record, not to punish authors or expose confidential institutional matters.
Post-publication updates may include:
- Published correction notice or authorship correction statement
- Updated author list, contribution statement and correspondence information
- Updated article page and PDF record where technically appropriate
- Updated DOI metadata, author metadata and discovery metadata where applicable
- Internal record retention of all author confirmations and editorial decision notes
Requests That May Be Declined
When an Authorship Change Request Will Not Be Accepted
Authorship change is not a routine administrative edit. The publisher may decline, pause or refer a request when ethical concerns, missing consent or unresolved disputes exist.
Requests made without consent from all required authors
Addition of guest, gift, honorary or non-contributing authors
Removal of an author without clear reason and verifiable agreement
Authorship changes intended only to improve academic credit, promotion score or institutional reporting
Requests submitted under pressure, coercion, commercial influence or undisclosed conflict of interest
Requests connected with unresolved disputes that require institutional investigation
Changes requested because of APC payment, discount, waiver or publication fee arrangement
Request Format
Suggested Authorship Change Request Email Format
Authors may use this suggested format while writing to the editorial office. The request should be sent by the corresponding author and copied to all authors wherever possible.
Email: editor@univcollpublications.com
Subject: Authorship Change Request – [Paper ID] – [Manuscript Title]
Respected Editorial Office,
We request an authorship change for the manuscript/article titled [Title], Paper ID [ID], submitted/published in [Journal Name].
Current author list: [Current List]
Proposed author list: [Revised List]
Reason for change: [Explain clearly]
Revised contribution statement: [Author-wise contribution]
We confirm that all listed, added and/or removed authors have reviewed and agreed to this request. Signed confirmations/official email approvals are attached or copied.
Authorship Change FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
These answers help authors understand the publisher's approach before submitting a request.
Can an author be added after submission?
Yes, but only when the person meets authorship criteria, the reason is clear, and all listed and proposed authors provide written agreement. The editor may ask for additional contribution evidence.
Can author order be changed after acceptance?
It may be considered in exceptional cases, but publication may be paused until the journal receives written consent from all authors and verifies the revised order.
Can an authorship change be made after publication?
Post-publication authorship changes are handled carefully and are not made silently. Approved changes may require a correction notice and metadata update.
Will APC payment affect authorship decisions?
No. Authorship decisions and change requests are based on contribution, accountability, consent and publication ethics. APC payment, discount or waiver status does not influence authorship decisions.
What happens if authors disagree?
The journal does not arbitrate personal or institutional authorship disputes. If agreement cannot be reached, the authors may be asked to seek resolution through their institution or research organization.
Authorship Integrity
Connected Author Journey for Authorship Change Request Policy
Policy route for changes in author order, addition, removal or contribution correction. Use the related author pages, publisher policies and official support routes below to move through the publication process with clarity, transparency and responsible scholarly practice.
Next Author Pages
Related Publisher Links
Responsible External Links
Open Accessreader visibility where applicable
Peer Revieweditorial and review workflow
Ethicsoriginality and declaration focus
Metadataauthor, DOI and record clarity