Authorship done right: what ICMJE actually requires
6 November 2026 · Cohira team
Authorship disputes and integrity flags follow papers for years. The ICMJE criteria exist to prevent both, and they are stricter than most CVs suggest.
The four criteria
Substantial contribution to conception, design, data, or analysis; drafting or critical revision; final approval; and accountability for the work. An author meets all four, not one.
What that means with a support team
You define the question, steer the decisions, revise and approve the drafts: you are an author, first and corresponding. A methodologist who genuinely meets the criteria is named as a middle co-author with your written approval. Nobody is added for prestige, payment, or courtesy.
The lines that never move
No ghostwriting: real contributors are named. No gifted or sold bylines. An originality check before every submission. These are not courtesies; editors treat violations as misconduct.