FSP FAQs: Authorship

An ORCID iD is a unique, persistent identifier that can be obtained by researchers free of charge. An assigned ORCID iD is associated with an individual regardless of their affiliated institutions and records an author’s history of publications. [Read More]

All USGS authors (including coauthors) must have a ORCID iD account (set to public) in order to identify USGS authored or funded publications. The ORCID iD record should include the author’s first and last name, USGS email address, and USGS employment affiliation. [Read More]

An ORCID iD helps to highlight and clarify Bureau research and authorship by USGS employees. The Publications Warehouse also uses ORCID iDs to update and link to externally published information products by USGS authors. [Read More]

If the author has full-time, part-time, or volunteer (including emeritus) USGS affiliation or shared affiliation; or if the author is working under a USGS grant, memorandum of understanding, or other cooperative agreement, then FSP requirements must be followed regardless of whether the information product will be published by the USGS or by an outside entity. [Read more]

Authors are the ones responsible for the preparation and content of the information product. Authorship should be limited to the individual or individuals who make a substantial intellectual contribution to conception or design of the investigation; the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; and the content of the information product. [Read more]

In such instances, group members determine the order of coauthorship from one information product to another as they deem appropriate. In the case of lengthy information products, group members determine if authorship of individual sections may be separately designated to recognize specialized contributions. [Read more]

The Bureau affiliation in outside publications should be shown first as “U.S. Geological Survey.” The author’s science center name may be listed next. If applicable, a laboratory or university affiliation follows. [Read more]

The byline includes the contract author's company name or location/town (if self-employed), followed by “Contractor to the U.S. Geological Survey.” [Read more]

These authors use a USGS affiliation in their byline if they are funded in full or in part by the Bureau to do the work or receive other support from the USGS in performance of the work. The byline includes the author’s specific relationship or role, followed by U.S. Geological Survey. [Read more]

Work completed prior to employment with the USGS is not subject to the FSP review and approval requirements. Work started prior to USGS employment and completed as part of the employee’s official duties with the USGS must follow FSP review and approval requirements. [Read more]

The primary authorship affiliation reflects where the work was done. The author can add their current USGS affiliation using, for example, "current address: U.S. Geological Survey, [insert Science Center name, city, state]," which indicates that the work was not done at or on behalf of the USGS. 

Both the former and USGS affiliations are shown. The USGS affiliation is shown first, for example, "U.S. Geological Survey [insert Science Center name, city, state] and [insert where work was initiated]." Consult SPN if the work is to be released in USGS publications. [Read more]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

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]

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]

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]