Syed Fakhar Alam The scientific community generally agrees that authorship should be based on the individual's contributions to the study and that authors should fulfill the criteria for authorship specified in the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) standards. The following factors should be used to determine authorship, according to these guidelines:

1. Significant contributions to the work's idea or design; or gathering, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND

2. Drafting the work or critically editing it for key intellectual substance; AND

3. Final approval of the published version; AND

4. Acceptance of responsibility for all parts of the work, including ensuring that any issues about the accuracy or integrity of any portion of the work are adequately investigated and handled.

5. If a dead researcher fits these conditions, including them as an author of the article is typically regarded as appropriate. If the dead researcher does not fit these criteria, it is often preferable to acknowledge their contributions in the acknowledgment section rather than include them as an author.

Fatemeh Khozaei Thank you for the response.

Considering this answer, I believe a dead researcher won't be able to notify the #4 by any means to the journal (if they haven't given a written statement or video during their lifetime) and is simply disqualified to be an author for any of their research work. A response on their behalf will not be equally valued and they will automatically become part of the acknowledgment section.

I mentioned in Ore Geology Reviews, Sedimentary Geology, Minerals, Geomorphology (only recently) and many more journals in the past my colleagues who made a scientific contribution to the paper and passed away during the study and process of submission as full authors on the frontpage and I also mentioned them and their fate in a footnote on the frontpage. This is an act of honor and to honor them. I mention in the acknowledgement or on the frontpage scientists who played a major role in my scientific career and to whom I have to express my sincere gratitude when I am going to dedicate my submitted paper to them.

I have never had any problems with this issue and frankly it should not cause a problem in a good journal.

HGD

There are some journals that permit’s authorship of a deceased scientist /research Such as “ Death Studies” it allows authorship of a deceased person provided their work was completed before their death . The manuscript can be submitted by their co-author or representative. Some journals allows posthumous authorship as well provided the work of the deceased individual has had great impact and their contribution are deemed important enough to be published.

Dear Dr Syed Fakhar Alam

I agree with the views of Josephine Maximus that it is very dependent on the journal and it would be quite reasonable to include that person. I would enquire directly with the potential journal(s) to clarify before sending the manuscript.

I would not call good journals those who indulge in such practices. Death Studies !? - oh Josephine, give us a break.