Direct comparison
COPE Authorship Changes: Before vs After
COPE publishes four author-change flowcharts, not two, split by timing. Compare what before vs after publication requires, and when a correction is needed.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | Before Publication | After Publication |
|---|---|---|
| Governing COPE flowcharts | (a) Addition of an extra author; (b) Corresponding author requests removal of an author | (c) Request for addition of an extra author; (d) Request for removal of an author (DOI 10.24318/cope.2019.2.11) |
| First editorial step | Clarify the reason for the requested change with the corresponding author | Clarify the reason for the change; for removal, also ask directly whether misconduct is suspected |
| Who must consent | All listed authors, including the author being added or removed | All listed authors, including the author being added or removed |
| Status of the paper while unresolved | Review or publication is suspended until authorship is agreed | The article stays published as-is -- there is no "suspend" option |
| If all authors agree | Author list and contributor details are amended; review or publication proceeds -- no public correction needed | A correction is published |
| If authors disagree | Editor tells the excluded author to resolve it with co-authors or their institution -- the editor does not adjudicate | Addition: case referred to the authors’ institution(s) to adjudicate. Removal: parties may submit letters; COPE allows publishing both, or the minority view, if the majority still disagrees |
| Suspected fraud or misconduct | Not addressed in these two flowcharts | Removal flowchart explicitly routes this to COPE's separate fabricated-data flowchart |
| Typical real-world trigger | A contributor's role is finalized during revision, or a co-author withdraws before submission is complete | An omitted contributor is identified post-publication, or an author requests removal after a falling-out |
| Reader-facing record of the change | None -- the published version simply reflects the final author list | A formal correction notice linked to the original article |
Common questions
FAQ
Are there really only two COPE authorship-change flowcharts?+
No. COPE publishes four flowcharts in its "Changes in authorship" series -- separate ones for adding and removing an author, before and after publication. The useful two-way split is by timing, since that's what determines whether a published correction is required.
Does adding an author after publication always require a correction notice?+
COPE's flowchart for post-publication addition says to publish a correction once all authors agree, and to publish one if required by the institution after adjudication -- so in practice, some form of correction is the expected outcome once the change is resolved.
Can an editor add or remove an author without every co-author's agreement?+
No, in either the before- or after-publication flowcharts. COPE's guidance requires written consent from all listed authors, including the person being added or removed, before an editor proceeds.
What happens if authors can't agree on a pre-publication authorship change?+
COPE’s flowchart says to suspend review or publication of the paper until authorship is agreed, and to tell the excluded author to resolve the disagreement with co-authors or their institution rather than the editor.
