What qualifies as co-authorship?

Co-authorship ordinarily requires a substantial intellectual contribution to conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research and participation in drafting or revising the work. Institutional policies and journal criteria (for example, ICMJE-style guidelines) often define thresholds for authorship and should be consulted to align the declaration language with publishing standards.

How should contributions be described?

Use specific, action-oriented language (for example, 'designed experiments,' 'performed statistical analysis,' 'drafted Methods'). Avoid vague phrases; precise descriptions help graduate schools and journals assess credit and prevent later challenges.

Can the declaration be signed electronically?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally recognized under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most jurisdictions. Ensure the chosen method meets your university’s authentication requirements and retains an audit trail with timestamp and signer attribution.

Is notarization required for this declaration?

Not typically. Most institutions accept signed or electronically authenticated declarations. If a notarized statement is specifically required by your graduate school or a funding agreement, follow that requirement; otherwise, notarization is generally optional.

What if a co-author refuses to sign?

Document your good-faith attempts to obtain consent and report the issue to your advisor or graduate school. Institutions often have procedures for resolving authorship disputes or documenting dissent for the official record.

How long should I keep the signed declaration?

Retain the signed declaration in the student file and repository per institutional policy; many universities archive these records for at least seven years or permanently. Consult university retention schedules for exact timelines.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Education
Declaration of Co-authorship in Doctoral Dissertations

Declaration of Co-authorship in Doctoral Dissertations

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

What this Declaration Is and Why It Matters

A Declaration of Co-authorship in Doctoral Dissertations is a formal written statement attached to a dissertation that identifies all individuals who contributed substantially to the research and writing. It describes each contributor's role, clarifies author order, discloses funding or conflicts of interest, and records consent from co-authors. Universities commonly require the declaration at submission to the graduate school or institutional repository to prevent disputes, support academic integrity, and document attribution for publication or patent purposes. The declaration becomes part of the official degree record when accepted by the institution.

Why a Clear Co-authorship Declaration Protects You

A clear declaration reduces misunderstandings, meets institutional policy, documents contributions for future publications, and supports fair attribution. It also helps resolve conflicts, supports compliance with funding and journal requirements, and preserves the integrity of the degree record.

Who Typically Prepares and Signs This Declaration

Primary parties involved in preparing and approving the declaration at submission.

Doctoral candidate — Prepares the draft, lists contributors, and coordinates signatures before formal submission.
Faculty advisor or committee chair — Reviews contribution statements and confirms supervisory role and approval.
Co-authors and collaborators — Review, confirm their listed contributions, and provide signature or electronic consent.

Multiple signatures or recorded consents are common; follow your university’s required format and routing procedure.

Essential Elements to Include in a Professional Declaration

A complete declaration is concise but specific, covering identity, roles, and approvals so the institution, publishers, and funders can verify attribution.

Document Title

State the dissertation title and degree program exactly as on the submission cover sheet to link the declaration to the correct record.

Contributor Names

List each co-author’s full legal name, institutional affiliation, and unique researcher ID if available (ORCID recommended).

Contribution Description

Describe each person’s substantive contributions (e.g., experimental design, data collection, analysis, manuscript drafting) in specific terms.

Author Order

Indicate the agreed author order and the rationale if order diverges from contribution percentage (common in multi-disciplinary teams).

Conflict Disclosure

Include funding sources, financial interests, or other conflicts of interest relevant to the research and its dissemination.

Signatures and Dates

Provide dated signatures or authenticated electronic consent from the candidate and all named co-authors to confirm agreement.

Required Information and Short Data Checklist

Full legal names: Exact names used on official records

Institutional affiliation: Department and university

ORCID iD: If available, for persistent attribution

Contribution summary: Concise role description

Signatures: Signed consent and date

Supporting files: Drafts, data permissions

Step-by-Step: Preparing and Submitting the Declaration

Follow these sequential steps to prepare a complete declaration that aligns with common graduate school requirements.

01

Gather details: Collect names, affiliations, ORCID iDs, and funding statements.
02

Draft contribution text: Write specific, measurable descriptions of each person’s role.
03

Circulate for review: Send the draft to co-authors and advisor for confirmation.
04

Sign and submit: Obtain dated signatures or authenticated e-consent and upload with dissertation.

How to Set Up an Electronic Workflow for This Declaration

Configure an online workflow to collect author confirmations, create an audit trail, and route the finalized declaration to the institutional repository.

Field	Configuration
Signature field	Place dated signature blocks for each listed author
Authentication	Use email verification or stronger MFA for co-author consent
Routing order	Candidate → Advisor → Co-authors → Graduate School
Storage	Export signed PDF to institutional repository

Where the Declaration Goes and Who Receives It

Understand the typical routing so you can meet institutional submission and recordkeeping expectations.

Initial upload: Candidate uploads declaration with dissertation files
Advisor approval: Advisor confirms accuracy and signs
Co-author consent: Co-authors provide signatures or electronic approval
Institutional record: Final signed copy saved to the graduate school file and repository

Delivery and Sharing Options for Signed Declarations

Choose delivery channels that preserve the signed record and meet institutional rules for authentication and retention.

Email delivery: Send signed PDFs to required recipients
eSignature platform: Use services that provide audit trails and secure storage
Institutional repository: Deposit final copy with metadata

Platforms should support PDF and DOCX, provide an audit trail (timestamps, IP, signer identity), and enable long-term retrieval per university retention rules.

Timing Considerations and Common Submission Deadlines

Key timelines vary by university; below are typical submission triggers and time-sensitive stages to track when finalizing your declaration.

Defense and committee sign-off:

Submit signed declaration with final approval before degree certification

Graduate school submission:

Deliver signed documents by the school’s dissertation submission deadline

Embargo requests:

File embargo or restricted access requests at submission if needed

Journal pre-submission:

Align declaration content with intended journal authorship statements

Funding reporting:

Provide funding disclosures alongside final submission when required

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Vague contribution descriptions that leave authorship interpretation ambiguous and invite later disputes.
Mismatched names or affiliations between the declaration and other official filings, causing administrative delays.
Collecting only the candidate’s signature while failing to obtain explicit consent from listed co-authors.
Neglecting to disclose funding sources or conflicts of interest required by the university or journals.

Potential Consequences of an Incorrect or Missing Declaration

Academic sanction: Investigation or degree revocation

Publication delay: Journal may require corrections

Funding compliance: Breach of grant reporting requirements

Authorship disputes: Civil claims or arbitration

Repository removal: Institution may withdraw posted files

Reputational harm: Long-term professional consequences

Real-World Scenarios: How Declarations Resolve Common Issues

Two typical cases where a clear declaration prevented dispute or streamlined publication.

Department research project

A candidate documented each collaborator’s role before submission

Co-authors reviewed and signed electronically
Final approval avoided later authorship disputes and aligned manuscript authorship with the university record.

Clinical trial dissertation

Investigators listed precise data collection and analysis duties

Funding sources and patient-data responsibilities were disclosed
This clarity supported journal submission and met the sponsor’s reporting requirements.

Comparing eSignature Vendors for Collecting Declarations

Platforms differ on price, enterprise features, and regulatory support; signNow is listed first for parity with common academic use cases and compliance needs.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Varies
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No

Frequently Asked Questions and Practical Answers

Answers to common questions about authorship declarations, electronic signatures, and dispute handling.

Need help? Contact support

What qualifies as co-authorship?
Co-authorship ordinarily requires a substantial intellectual contribution to conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the research and participation in drafting or revising the work. Institutional policies and journal criteria (for example, ICMJE-style guidelines) often define thresholds for authorship and should be consulted to align the declaration language with publishing standards.
How should contributions be described?
Use specific, action-oriented language (for example, 'designed experiments,' 'performed statistical analysis,' 'drafted Methods'). Avoid vague phrases; precise descriptions help graduate schools and journals assess credit and prevent later challenges.
Can the declaration be signed electronically?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally recognized under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most jurisdictions. Ensure the chosen method meets your university’s authentication requirements and retains an audit trail with timestamp and signer attribution.
Is notarization required for this declaration?
Not typically. Most institutions accept signed or electronically authenticated declarations. If a notarized statement is specifically required by your graduate school or a funding agreement, follow that requirement; otherwise, notarization is generally optional.
What if a co-author refuses to sign?
Document your good-faith attempts to obtain consent and report the issue to your advisor or graduate school. Institutions often have procedures for resolving authorship disputes or documenting dissent for the official record.
How long should I keep the signed declaration?
Retain the signed declaration in the student file and repository per institutional policy; many universities archive these records for at least seven years or permanently. Consult university retention schedules for exact timelines.

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