Author Credit Policy

UOL Publisher and  Journal of Law, Justice and Human Rights guarantee equal distribution of credits for every contributor in the specific stages of the research and publication processes. Following these guidelines, UOL Publisher adheres to the ethical international standards and policies of publishing; therefore, it requires a clear delineation of the role of each contributed written work in the manuscript.

Author Contributions 

All authors must declare their contributions using CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy). It demands an explanation along with justification for the following roles:

• Conceptualization
• Methodology
• Software
• Validation
• Formal Analysis
• Investigation
• Resources
• Data Curation
• Writing – Original Draft
• Writing – Review & Editing
• Visualization
• Supervision
• Project Administration
• Funding Acquisition

Authorship Criteria

Authorship is reserved for individuals who have made a meaningful contribution to the research and the writing of the manuscript. At UOL Publisher, we follow the authorship guidelines recommended by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). While AI tools can help in drafting or editing parts of the text, they cannot be listed as authors because they do not take responsibility for the research or its content. Only those who have contributed significantly and take full intellectual and ethical responsibility for the work should be named authors.

To be recognised as an author, an individual must:

• Have made substantial contributions to the design, methodology, analysis, or interpretation of the data.
• Be actively involved in drafting or revising the manuscript for critical intellectual content.
• Approve the final version of the manuscript to be published.

Only individuals meeting all three conditions are eligible for authorship. Others who contributed but do not meet authorship criteria should be listed in the Acknowledgements section.

Order of Authors

Their contributions to the work should be listed in the list of authors. Usually, the first author is the one who contributed the most, both in the research and in writing the manuscript.

The corresponding author serves as the main line of contact for the submission, peer review, and publication processes. Their role includes managing correspondence with the journal and ensuring that all co-authors agree with the manuscript’s content and authorship.

Acknowledgement of Non-Author Contributions

Contributors who assisted with administrative support, technical tasks, or funding but did not meet authorship criteria must be acknowledged appropriately in the Acknowledgements section.

Ghost and Honorary Authorship

UOL Publisher strictly prohibits:

• Ghost authorship – the omission of individuals who contributed significantly to the manuscript.
• Honorary authorship – the inclusion of individuals who did not make a substantial contribution.

Both practices are unethical and in violation of COPE guidelines.

Corresponding Author Responsibilities

The corresponding author bears primary responsibility for the manuscript throughout submission and publication. Duties include:

• Handling all the communications for the journal.
• Completing manuscript submission as well as any subsequent edits.
• Ensuring all co-authors had reviewed the manuscript and had provided their approval to the final version.
• Addressing editorial as well as reviewer feedback.
• Confirming the correctness of all manuscript details, including but not limited to authors’ and institutions’ addresses, funding statements, and ethics declarations.

Resolving Authorship Disputes

Disputes concerning authorship are addressed following COPE recommendations. Since the journal cannot independently verify each author’s contribution, all authors must resolve authorship order and inclusion before submission. Authors are required to submit an Author Contribution Form signed by all authors at the time of manuscript submission.

Steps for Handling Authorship Disputes

Step 1: Initial Complaint or Query
A dispute may be initiated by:

• One or more listed authors.
• An individual claiming to have been wrongly included or excluded.
• A third-party representative (e.g., from an affiliated institution).

The concern should be submitted in writing to: researchjournals@uolpublisher.com, along with relevant evidence (e.g., communication records, contribution statements).

Step 2: Acknowledgement and Temporary Hold
Acknowledgement of receipt will be provided within five business days. If the manuscript is in the review process, the editorial operations will be on standby until the situation is clarified.

Step 3: Collection of Written Statements
Each listed author, and any contesting party will be requested to submit a signed statement detailing:

• Their specific contributions.
• Their perspective on authorship order and disputes.

These submissions will be reviewed by the Editor-in-Chief and/or the Ethics Committee.

Step 4: Referral to Institution (If required)
Where consensus is absent and an issue of wrongdoing arises, such as ghost or honorary authorship, the journal will forward the case to the relevant institution(s) for further evaluation. The discretion provided to editors is limited to resolving issues with submissions, and therefore, as stipulated in the COPE guidelines, they are not required to adjudicate disputes concerning authorship.

All editorial activity will be paused until the institutional authorities conclude.

Step 5: Outcome and Editorial Action
Depending on the results:

• If a consensus is reached, processing resumes.
• If misconduct is confirmed, the manuscript may be rejected or retracted.
• If the matter remains unresolved or receives no institutional response, the journal may decline to consider the manuscript further.

Step 6: Communication and Documentation
All communications are recorded confidentially. Final decisions are communicated in writing to all parties involved.

Step 7: Mediation (Optional)
As stated previously, the UOL Publisher might suggest mediation through either the journal’s Ombudsperson or an unrelated academic mediator of their choice. If mediation is unsuccessful, either an expression of concern may be issued, or the matter may be escalated to the relevant institutional authorities.

Authorship Roles
While responsibilities may differ depending on the research project, submitting and corresponding authors are expected to fulfill specific roles. The table below outlines these responsibilities:

Task	Submitting Author	Corresponding Author
Ensuring the accuracy of all article content, including names and affiliations	✓
Managing the submission process and responding to peer reviews	✓
Acting as the primary communicator with the journal	✓	✓
Receiving notifications and updates through the submission system	✓	✓
Handling administrative tasks and ensuring deadlines are promptly met.	✓
Addressing disclosures related to research ethics and permissions	✓
Taking the lead on open access initiatives, including eligibility for OA vouchers.		✓
Providing and managing the email address included in the published article.		✓
Serving as the primary point of contact for all inquiries related to the published article.		✓
Responding to any queries throughout the publication process.	✓	✓

Contact Information
For any inquiries regarding contact with the editorial team related to authorship, contribution documentation, or dispute resolution, please email research.journals@oric.uol.edu.pk. 

This policy aims to maintain optimal practices of research integrity while ensuring all contributors receive proper credit for their work. Every author must review this policy and accept it before submission.