Overview
Where DFG stands on contributorship and open research
DFG places strong emphasis on research integrity through its Code of Conduct "Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice", which addresses authorship and the responsible attribution of contributions. DFG does not mandate the CRediT taxonomy by name in its funding terms, but its good-research-practice framework is closely aligned with transparent contributorship, and CRediT is widely used on the resulting publications via the journal layer.
CRediT status: Encouraged - Guidance or programme calls reference CRediT, but formal policy text is silent.
Open access
DFG Open Access policy and statement (longstanding; updated guidance)
DFG has supported open access for many years and expects funded research to be made openly available. It funds open-access publication costs through dedicated programmes and supports repository-based and gold open access. DFG signed the Berlin Declaration on Open Access and is a long-standing advocate of open scholarly communication.
Research data management
Data sharing requirements
DFG guidelines on handling of research data; FAIR-aligned data-management expectations at proposal stage.
Submission and reporting
How DFG researchers apply and report
| Primary submission system | elan (the DFG electronic proposal-submission portal) |
| Biosketch / CV format | DFG CV with a deliberately limited publication list (content over quantity) |
| Reporting cycle | Final and interim project reports via the elan portal |
DFG applicants submit proposals through the elan portal. Proposals must address the handling of research data in line with DFG's research-data guidelines, and adherence to the DFG Code of Conduct on good research practice is a condition of funding for all DFG-funded institutions. DFG asks applicants to limit publication lists in proposals (a deliberate move away from quantity-based assessment) and supports ORCID. Open-access publication costs can be covered through DFG programmes.
Contributorship guidance
How DFG handles contributor attribution
DFG's Code of Conduct requires that authorship reflects a genuine, identifiable contribution to the research and that contributions are transparently attributed. DFG does not prescribe CRediT specifically, but its good-research-practice principles support structured contributorship, and most DFG-funded publications carry CRediT statements because the receiving journals require them.
For authors
Publishing from DFG funding
When publishing from DFG funding, make the work openly available - either through an open-access journal or by depositing the accepted manuscript in a repository - and use the DFG funding-acknowledgement wording that names the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the project number. Ensure authorship reflects genuine contributions in line with the DFG Code of Conduct, and include a CRediT statement at the publisher's request (most journals DFG researchers publish in require one). Address research-data handling as set out in the proposal and deposit data in a recognised repository where appropriate.
For general CRediT submission guidance across publishers, see CRediT for authors.
Notable initiatives
DFG programmes and infrastructure
- Collaborative Research Centres (SFB)
- Clusters of Excellence (Excellence Strategy)
- Research Units
- DFG Code of Conduct for good research practice
Notes
Caveats and context
DFG's influence on German research culture runs largely through its Code of Conduct and its responsible-assessment stance rather than through a publication-specific CRediT mandate.
Frequently asked
Common questions about DFG
- Does DFG require CRediT?
- DFG does not require CRediT at the policy-text level, but guidance and programme materials reference it. DFG places strong emphasis on research integrity through its Code of Conduct "Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice", which addresses authorship and the responsible attribution of contributions. DFG does not mandate the CRediT taxonomy by name in its funding terms, but its good-research-practice framework is closely aligned with transparent contributorship, and CRediT is widely used on the resulting publications via the journal layer.
- What is DFG's open access policy?
- DFG Open Access policy and statement (longstanding; updated guidance). DFG has supported open access for many years and expects funded research to be made openly available. It funds open-access publication costs through dedicated programmes and supports repository-based and gold open access. DFG signed the Berlin Declaration on Open Access and is a long-standing advocate of open scholarly communication.
- How do I report contributorship to DFG?
- DFG's Code of Conduct requires that authorship reflects a genuine, identifiable contribution to the research and that contributions are transparently attributed. DFG does not prescribe CRediT specifically, but its good-research-practice principles support structured contributorship, and most DFG-funded publications carry CRediT statements because the receiving journals require them.
- Where do I submit a DFG application?
- DFG applications are submitted through elan (the DFG electronic proposal-submission portal). DFG applicants submit proposals through the elan portal. Proposals must address the handling of research data in line with DFG's research-data guidelines, and adherence to the DFG Code of Conduct on good research practice is a condition of funding for all DFG-funded institutions. DFG asks applicants to limit publication lists in proposals (a deliberate move away from quantity-based assessment) and supports ORCID. Open-access publication costs can be covered through DFG programmes.
- What is DFG's data sharing requirement?
- DFG guidelines on handling of research data; FAIR-aligned data-management expectations at proposal stage. Researchers should follow the data-management plan submitted with the application and deposit data in a recognised repository where appropriate.
References
Sources
- DFG Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice (Code of Conduct)
- DFG Open Access policy and statements
- DFG guidelines on the handling of research data
