Authorship Policy

1. Introduction

The African Journal of Applied Sciences and Humanities (AJASH) maintains a clear and ethical authorship policy that aligns with internationally accepted standards. Authorship should reflect meaningful scholarly contributions and uphold transparency, fairness, and responsibility in the research and publication process.

2. Authorship Criteria

To qualify as an author, an individual must meet all the following criteria, as outlined by the ICMJE:

Criterion 1: Substantial contribution to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data.
Criterion 2: Drafting or critically revising the article for its intellectual content.
Criterion 3: Final approval of the version to be published.
Criterion 4: Accountability for all aspects of the work and ensuring the integrity and accuracy of any part of it.

Important Note: Funding acquisition, general supervision, or data collection alone does not justify authorship.

3. Order of Authors

- The order should reflect the relative contribution of each author and must be decided by mutual agreement among all co-authors.

- The editorial board will not intervene in authorship disputes but may request clarification if inconsistencies arise.

4. Corresponding Author

- Responsible for managing communication with the journal throughout the submission, review, and publication process.

- Ensures that all listed co-authors have approved the final version and agreed to its submission.

5. Changes to Authorship

- Adding or removing an author after submission is not permitted without written consent from all authors and a clear explanation.

- The editorial board reserves the right to reject unjustified authorship changes.

6. Acknowledgment of Contributions

Individuals or institutions contributing to specific aspects of the study (e.g., statistical analysis, language editing) but not meeting authorship criteria should be mentioned in the Acknowledgments section, subject to their consent.

7. Conflict of Interest

All authors must clearly disclose any financial or non-financial conflicts of interest that could influence the interpretation of the research or its results.

8. Misconduct in Authorship

In cases of suspected misconduct, including ghost authorship, guest authorship, or unjust exclusion of contributors, the journal will strictly follow the procedures recommended by COPE.