Do Papers with Japanese Authors Have a Different Number of Authors? A Follow-Up Study after 25 Years and Implication for Other Countries
Abstract
:1. Introduction and Method
2. Results
3. Discussion
- (1)
- Japan’s recent trend
In Japan, it has been the practice in some fields to add authors who have merely provided research equipment and facilities, provided funding, given authority to the article, or taught, suggested or advised on well-known theories, even if they do not "fulfil all the above requirements" for authorship. The reason for this is that in Japan, Acknowledgement tends to be considered a formality. In the future, it will be necessary to recognise the significance of references in Acknowledgements, as in Europe and the USA, delineating between authors responsible for the research results and those listed in the Acknowledgements…
We, the committee, have read the ICMJE’s “Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors” (revised April 2010). Our statement refers to the above (ICMJE) and offers our own views. (Authors’ translation, p.2)
- (2)
- Influence on Practicing Physicians and Sample Providers
- (3)
- Influence on International Collaborations
4. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
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- International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICNJE). Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors. 2022. Available online: https://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html (accessed on 6 July 2022).
- Nature Portfolio. Authorship. 2022. Available online: https://www.nature.com/nature-portfolio/editorial-policies/authorship#authorship (accessed on 6 July 2022).
- Science Council of Japan (SCJ). Answer: Improving Soundness in Scientific Research. Available online: https://www.scj.go.jp/ja/info/kohyo/pdf/kohyo-23-k150306.pdf (accessed on 6 July 2022).
Circulation | Circulation Research | (Japanese) Circulation Journal | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
JP | NJP | JP | NJP | JP | NJP | |
2000: | ||||||
No of authors | 680 | 4566 | 491 | 1279 | 881 | 2 |
No of articles | 79 | 658 | 69 | 227 | 121 | 1 |
Mean No of authers/articles (range) | 8.6 (3–23) | 6.9 (1–21) | 7.1 (2–13) | 5.6 (1–12) | 7.3 (1–15) | 2.0 (2–2) |
2010: | ||||||
No of authors | 855 | 4558 | 703 | 1827 | 1999 | 801 |
No of articles | 69 | 527 | 64 | 255 | 259 | 119 |
Mean No of authers/articles (range) | 12.4 (2–61) | 8.6 (1–50) | 11.0 (2–23) | 7.2 (1–23) | 7.7 (1–24) | 6.7 (1–20) |
2020: | ||||||
No of authors | 854 | 3899 | 149 | 1993 | 2492 | 400 |
No of articles | 27 | 202 | 11 | 172 | 216 | 51 |
Mean No of authers/articles (range) | 31.6 (7–106) | 19.3 (2–241) | 13.5 (9–23) | 11.6 (2–44) | 11.5 (1–53) | 7.8 (1–19) |
ICMJE’s position (2022, p2). | |
Who Is an Author? | |
The ICMJE recommends that authorship be based on the following four criteria: | |
1. substantive contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND | |
2. drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND | |
3. final approval of the version to be published; AND | |
Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. | |
In addition to being accountable for the parts of the work he or she has done, an author should be able to identify what co-authors are responsible for. In addition, authors should have confidence in the integrity of the contributions of their co-authors) | |
Nature’s position (2022) | |
1. each author is expected to 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; or have drafted the work or substantively revised it | |
2. AND to have approved the submitted version (and any substantially modified version that involves the author’s contribution to the study); | |
AND to have agreed both to be personally accountable for the author’s own contributions and to ensure that questions related to the AND to have agreed both to be personally accountable for the author’s own contributions and to ensure that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work, even ones in which the author was not personally involved, are appropriately investigated, resolved, and the resolution documented in the literature. | |
Science Council of Japan’s position (2015, p2). | |
1. Substantial contributions to the design/conception of the work, or the execution of surveys/experiments; or substantial contributions to the work, such as the acquisition and analysis of experimental/observational data, or theoretical interpretation and model construction | |
2. Contributions to the completion of the manuscript, such as writing a draft of the manuscript or expressing opinions | |
3. Approval of the final version of the manuscript, and being accountable for the contents of the manuscript.See also the Note. |
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Akabayashi, A.; Nakazawa, E.; Mori, K. Do Papers with Japanese Authors Have a Different Number of Authors? A Follow-Up Study after 25 Years and Implication for Other Countries. Publications 2022, 10, 38. https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10040038
Akabayashi A, Nakazawa E, Mori K. Do Papers with Japanese Authors Have a Different Number of Authors? A Follow-Up Study after 25 Years and Implication for Other Countries. Publications. 2022; 10(4):38. https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10040038
Chicago/Turabian StyleAkabayashi, Akira, Eisuke Nakazawa, and Katsumi Mori. 2022. "Do Papers with Japanese Authors Have a Different Number of Authors? A Follow-Up Study after 25 Years and Implication for Other Countries" Publications 10, no. 4: 38. https://doi.org/10.3390/publications10040038