Frontiers journals have adopted the Contributor Roles Taxonomy (CRediT) to improve the way authors' contributions to research are communicated and acknowledged. The new system replaces the conventional free-text authorship descriptions with a standardized and transparent system that ensures consistency and accuracy in recognizing individual contributions. 

CRediT categorizes individual author contributions into well-defined roles and provides a clear, concise framework to describe the diverse contributions made by researchers during the research process. 

By adopting CRediT, Frontiers aims to acknowledge the diverse contributions of researchers, irrespective of whether they are primary or supporting contributors. Authors will can now select from a predefined set of CRediT roles, which encompass various aspects of research involvement, such as: 

• Conceptualization 

• Data Curation 

• Formal Analysis 

• Funding Acquisition 

• Investigation 

• Methodology 

• Project Administration 

• Resources 

• Software 

• Supervision 

• Validation 

• Visualization 

• Writing - Original Draft 

• Writing - Review & Editing  

Providing readers, reviewers, and fellow researchers with a thorough understanding of each author's contributions is crucial for fostering transparency and upholding the integrity of research publications. The implementation of standardized CRediT roles serves as a valuable tool in mitigating disputes concerning authorship and mitigating potential conflicts, guaranteeing equitable and inclusive acknowledgment of all contributors. Furthermore, CRediT empowers institutions and funding agencies to assess researchers' contributions more effectively, enabling more precise evaluations of individual achievements. 

Commenting on CRediT implementation, Frontiers chief executive editor Dr Frederick Fenter says, “We are committed to continuous improvement and fostering a culture of openness within the scholarly community. By integrating CRediT, we aim to further enhance the quality and reliability of published research, while also recognizing and celebrating the collective efforts of researchers worldwide.” 

About Frontiers    

Frontiers is the 3rd most-cited and 6th largest research publisher. We publish groundbreaking discoveries by the world's top experts. Scientists empower society and our mission is to accelerate scientific discovery by making science open. We place the researcher at the center of everything we do and enable the research community to develop the solutions we need to live healthy lives on a healthy planet. Featuring custom-built technology, artificial intelligence, and rigorous quality standards, our research articles have been viewed more than 2.1 billion times, reflecting the power of research that is open for all.  For more information, visit www.frontiersin.org