Corresponding Author: Definition and Role
Jan 07, 2024
Corresponding authorship plays a pivotal role in the research publication process. In this blog, we will explore the definition of the term, delve into their responsibilities, and examine the relationship with other contributor roles such as "first author" and "lead author". Understanding these terms and roles is essential for researchers at all stages of their careers.
The Importance of Authorship in Research
To begin, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of authorship order and introduce some terms.
The order of authors on publications with multiple authors matters. Generally, the "first author" is the one who made the largest intellectual contribution to the research process, typically carrying out the research project or experiments and writing the majority of the paper. In many disciplines, the last position in a list of co-authors is also significant, indicating the "lead author", who is often the principal investigator of a larger project and/or the most senior author.
The first and last positions generally reflect the most substantial contributions. Who serves as corresponding author is independent from author order and historically has not been considered a reflection of research contribution.
For more information about co-authorship and the significance of author order, refer to this post.
Authorship roles for multi-authored journal articles are usually highly considered and reflect the degree and kind of intellectual contribution to the research.
What does "Corresponding Author" Mean?
The corresponding author is the individual who manages and takes responsibility for the administrative requirements of the journal submission process. This means they serve as the primary point of contact with the journal editor and production team.
As research publications undergo peer review, the journal relies on a designated author to oversee the process, uploading all necessary files and forms for online submission, gathering any required information or input from other authors, and responding to any inquiries about the work.
The contact information of the corresponding author, including email address and affiliation, is usually included in the publication, allowing readers and researchers to contact them for further information.
When submitting a manuscript to a journal, you are often required to indicate a corresponding author.
One of the key responsibilities for a corresponding author is to ensure timely responses to emails from the journal editors and production team.
Key Responsibilities
The corresponding author holds significant responsibilities throughout the publication process for an academic paper. Their primary responsibility is to coordinate submission of the research manuscript, ensuring timely responses to any emails from the journal editorial team, and oversee the completion of revisions and addressing reviewer comments.
Additionally, the author in this role is responsible for ensuring that any article processing charges, open access fees, or other costs are paid (Note: This does not mean they are personally responsible for the fees; see this article about the cost of publishing).
The corresponding author, as the recipient of detailed policy documents from the journal, also ensures compliance with the journal’s administrative requirements and policies, ensuring the integrity of the process and publication ethics.
The responsibilities of the corresponding author extend beyond manuscript submission and the publication process, as their institutional contact details are published with the article, enabling researchers to contact them in the future with questions about the research.
Who is the Corresponding Author?
For sole-author papers, the sole author is always the corresponding author. For co-authored papers, any one on the author list can serve as the corresponding author. Most often, the first author also serves as the corresponding author.
Most commonly a journal only permits one corresponding author per article, but there are exceptions to this.
The selection of the corresponding author is unrelated to the order of authors and has traditionally not been regarded as an indication of research contribution. However, the significance of the role has been changing in recent years (read more here in this Times Higher Education article).
Is the First Author Always the Corresponding Author?
While it is common for the first author to assume the role of the corresponding author, it is definitely not mandatory. The decision of who will be the corresponding author can depend on many factors.
In many cases, the last or most senior researcher and/or lead author assumes the role of the corresponding author. Some reasons the lead author may be the corresponding author include that the the first author is unavailable for a various reasons, has recently shifted institutions and/or careers, or is not fluent in the language of the journal’s editors or production team. Alternatively, the lead author may just prefer to be the point of contact.
In other cases, there may have been financial implications. Many institutions and universities have publishing agreements with journals where their members don’t have to pay article processing fees. Often, a journal determines whether an article qualifies for the agreement based on the corresponding author’s email address. In other words, to have the fees waived, the corresponding author’s email must be affiliated with certain universities. For this reason, sometimes a research team identifies the corresponding author based on their access to a publishing agreement.
Unlike the first and last positions, the title “corresponding author” does not necessarily confer considerable prestige. Thus, the choice of who serves as the corresponding author can sometimes be linked to more practical reasons rather than the amount or type of intellectual contribution.
The first or last author of a research paper often serves as the corresponding author, but not always.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the corresponding author plays a vital role in handling communication and overseeing the publication process. While the first author is typically the corresponding author, any author can serve in this capacity.
Additional Resources
Corresponding author defined : Springer Nature Support
Corresponding Author: Cambridge University Press
The evolving meaning of ‘corresponding authorship’ in research
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