FSP FAQs: Authorship
Fundamental Science Practices regarding affiliations, co-authorship, acknowledgment and credit statements, and in-arrear [unauthorized] publications for authors of USGS information products: USGS employees, recent hires, volunteers, students, contractors, emeriti, and retirees.
What statements are used in USGS-authored information products (including USGS series publications, journal articles, cooperator publications, and others) when crediting cooperators or collaborators? [030]
Depending on the agreement and information product type, use one of the following statements: "Prepared in cooperation [collaboration] with (name of cooperator or collaborator)" or “Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey." [Read more]
What are the requirements for using proprietary information and copyrighted materials in information products? [031]
Proprietary information requires both an acknowledgment and written permission from the owner. For copyrighted materials, such as illustrations and photographs used, the figure caption contains the specific words requested by the copyright owner or "Copyrighted; used with permission." [Read more]
What is the guidance on placement of acknowledgment and credit statements in USGS publications described in SM 1100.3? [032]
Templates available on the internal SPN website provide guidance to authors on placement of acknowledgment and crediting statements in USGS publications. Contact the Science Publishing Network for further information. [Read more]
What happens if a USGS scientist is added as an author to an information product that has been submitted for outside publication or is published? [033]
The USGS author should contact the lead outside author and request that the publication not be made publicly accessible (i.e., galleys should not be posted online) until USGS FSP requirements are met. Alternatively, the USGS scientist’s name should be removed as an author and added to the acknowledgments. [Read more]
How do FSP review and approval requirements apply when a non-USGS scientist is the lead or senior author of a scientific information product? [034]
The FSP review and approval requirements apply to a USGS scientist who is a coauthor even if a non-USGS scientist is the lead or senior author. If the FSP requirements are not followed, the USGS scientist may not be listed as a coauthor.
How are disputes or disagreements concerning authorship handled? [035]
Coauthors must make every effort to resolve authorship-related disputes or disagreements among themselves. If disputes or disagreements cannot be resolved among the coauthors, USGS employees should consult their supervisory/management organizational alignment up to the Regional Director or Associate Director for assistance. [Read more]
Where can I find additional guidance related to scientific integrity and authorship? [036]
Department of the Interior (DOI) FAQs on Authorship in Scientific and Scholarly Work Products are available as part of additional guidance made available on the USGS Scientific Integrity website, which also includes links to the DOI Scientific Integrity website and the DOI Code of Conduct. [Read more]
A book publisher has contacted me to contribute a short "blurb" review of content for the back of a book cover. As a USGS scientist, will my positive review be interpreted as an endorsement? [037]
Yes. By definition, a short review or "blurb" placed by the book publisher on the back cover, elsewhere on the book jacket, or as front matter or back matter inside the book is an endorsement of the contents. A USGS employee must not associate his or her position or affiliation with the USGS in these kinds of reviews. [Read more]