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Authors may disagree about interpretation, byline order or wording. Sending every dispute through one escalation route can direct both scientific questions and contribution disagreements to the wrong decision maker, leaving the underlying issue unresolved despite apparent progress.
The publication decision
Define the dispute type and the concrete question requiring resolution. Statistical interpretation calls for relevant expertise, while authorship disputes may require author and institutional processes. Schedule pressure should not justify removing an objection without assessment. Distinguish allegations, verified facts and individual views, and handle communication with appropriate confidentiality rather than circulating an undifferentiated accusation.
Worked example
For example, an author challenges overinterpretation of a subgroup finding, but the team treats it as a last-minute editing delay. The coordinator records the scientific concern and arranges methodological review. Resolved and unresolved points are separated. Silence is not assumed to mean approval; the appropriate final-review route is followed before submission.
Coordination checks
- Convert an objection into a concrete question rather than a personal argument.
- Separate scientific, authorship and administrative decision routes.
- Check the status of unresolved concerns before the final version.
Acceptance and boundaries
Acceptance means the concern reaches an appropriate authority and its resolution rationale is explainable. A coordinator does not replace an editor or institutional review body. Not every dispute will have the same outcome, and unresolved concerns may affect submission. Use records to preserve the actual question and a fair process, not to manufacture accusations or imply conclusions before assessment.
Frequently asked questions
- Does the journal resolve every authorship dispute?
- ICMJE emphasises author and institutional responsibility; consider the appropriate institutional route.
- Does no response mean approval?
- Do not assume so. Explicitly satisfy the applicable final-review and responsibility arrangements.