Anonymous Authorship in Research: Ethical Concerns and Best Practices
From The Embassy of Good Science
ThemesAnonymous Authorship in Research: Ethical Concerns and Best Practices
What is this about?
Anonymous authorship in research refers to situations where contributions to scholarly work are published without identifying the author(s). This practice raises significant ethical questions about accountability, transparency, and intellectual ownership. While anonymity may be necessary in certain contexts, for example in cases where author safety would be compromised if the name of the author was published, it is generally not appropriate and acceptable (1).
Why is this important?
Authorship is a fundamental aspect of academic integrity, ensuring accountability, credibility, and proper attribution of contributions. Anonymity can complicate the verification and review process, making it harder to assess the quality and reliability of research. Additionally, journals and funding bodies require clear authorship attribution to uphold research integrity. However, in cases where anonymity is warranted, ethical guidelines must be carefully considered (2). Balancing the need for transparency with the potential risks of exposure is a challenge that institutions, researchers, and publishers must navigate.
For whom is this important?
In Detail
1. Council of Science Editor. Recommendations for Promoting Integrity in Scientific Journal Publications [Internet]. c2024 [updated 2020 Jun; cited 2025 Feb]. Available from: https://cse.memberclicks.net/2-2-authorship-and-authorship-responsibilities#OtherAuthorshipIssues
2. COPE Council. Handling requests to publish articles anonymously - English [Internet]. c2024 [updated 2024 Aug; cited 2025 Feb]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.24318/sRpW6E8acontributed to this theme. Latest contribution was Feb 10, 2025
