Acknowledgments
This usually follows the Discussion and Conclusions sections. Its purpose is to thank all of the people who helped with the research but did not qualify for authorship (check the target journal’s Instructions for Authors for authorship guidelines). Acknowledge anyone who provided intellectual assistance, technical help (including with writing and editing), or special equipment or materials.
TIP: The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors has detailed guidelines on who to list as an author and who to include in the Acknowledgments that are useful for scientists in all fields.
Some journals request that you use this section to provide information about funding by including specific grant numbers and titles. Check your target journal’s instruction for authors for specific instructions. If you need to include funding information, list the name(s) of the funding organization(s) in full, and identify which authors received funding for what.
References
As references have an important role in many parts of a manuscript, failure to sufficiently cite other work can reduce your chances of being published. Every statement of fact or description of previous findings requires a supporting reference.
TIP: Be sure to cite publications whose results disagree with yours. Not citing conflicting work will make readers wonder whether you are really familiar with the research literature. Citing conflicting work is also a chance to explain why you think your results are different.
It is also important to be concise. You need to meet all the above needs without overwhelming the reader with too many references—only the most relevant and recent articles need to be cited. There is no correct number of references for a manuscript, but be sure to check the journal’s guidelines to see whether it has limits on numbers of references.
TIP: Never cite a publication based on what you have read in a different publication (such as a review), or based only on the publication’s abstract. These may mislead you and readers. Read the publication itself before you cite it, and then check the accuracy of the citation again before submitting your manuscript.
You should reference other work to:
- Establish the origin of ideas
When you refer to an idea or theory, it is important to let your readers know which researcher(s) came up with the idea. By citing publications that have influenced your own work, you give credit to the authors and help others evaluate the importance of particular publications. Acknowledging others’ contributions is also an important ethical principle.
In a scientific manuscript, all statements must be supported with evidence. This evidence can come from the results of the current research, common knowledge, or from previous publications. A citation after a claim makes it clear which previous study supports the claim.
- Provide a context for your work
By highlighting related works, citations help show how a manuscript fits into the bigger picture of scientific research. When readers understand what previous studies found and what puzzles or controversies your study relates to, they will better understand the meaning of your work.
- Show there is interest your field of research
Citations show that other researchers are performing work similar to your own. Having current citations will help journal editors see that there is a potential audience for your manuscript.
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FAQs
“Thanks to everyone on my publishing team.” This is specific: “Thanks to everyone on the Scribe team who helped me so much. Special thanks to Ellie, my ever patient Publishing Manager, and Mark, my amazing Outliner, and Erin, the greatest cover designer I could ever imagine.”
Who do you need to acknowledge when you publish? ›
Acknowledgment Versus Authorship
Individuals who do not meet the recommended requirements for authorship, but have provided a valuable contribution to the work, should be acknowledged for their contributing role as appropriate to the publication.
Do Acknowledgements count as publications? ›
We know that an acknowledgement in a paper doesn't increase your publication.
What is the difference between references and Acknowledgements? ›
A reference gives the readers details about the source so that they have a good understanding of what kind of source it is and could find the source themselves if necessary. Acknowledgement= recognition of the importance or the quality of something… acceptance of the truth…
What is an example of acknowledgement of sources? ›
the author of the idea you are using, and b. the source you have found it in. For example: (Wilson 1989, cited in Smith 1995:4). However, your bibliography should only give details of the source that you found it in (in this case, Smith 1995).
What is publication acknowledgement? ›
The acknowledgement section can be used to thank anyone important in the publication of the work who does not qualify for authorship and to declare relevant funding information.
Do acknowledgements come before references? ›
The Acknowledgements appear after the main text (Discussion, or Conclusions) and before the Reference List.
What sources do not need to be acknowledged? ›
You do not need to cite a source for material considered common knowledge: General common knowledge is factual information considered to be in the public domain, such as birth and death dates of well-known figures, and generally accepted dates of military, political, literary, and other historical events.
What is the difference between co authorship and acknowledgement? ›
But co-authorship is for someone making very significant contributions to a work, whereas acknowledgements are for minor contributions. co-authorship is also reserved for direct academic contributions, whereas acknowledgments can be for material non-academic contributions such as financial support.
What is the difference between an acknowledgement and a dedication page? ›
Most dedications are short statements of tribute beginning with “To…” such as “To my family”. Acknowledgements are the author's statement of gratitude to and recognition of the people and institutions that helped the author's research and writing.
In a thesis or dissertation, the acknowledgements should usually be no longer than one page. There is no minimum length.
Are acknowledgements required? ›
Regardless, it's usually a good idea to place professional acknowledgements first, followed by any personal ones. You can then proceed by ranking who you'd like to thank from most formal to least. Typically, it's only necessary to mention people who directly supported you during your thesis or dissertation.
Why is it important to acknowledge references? ›
You should acknowledge sources to:
make it easy for readers to find the sources you have used, to check the information you have used and to use the sources for further information. fulfil your moral and legal obligations to recognise and acknowledge the author(s) of the original ideas.
Do acknowledgements go in the table of contents? ›
Do not include the acknowledgements or abstract in the table of contents. Where does the abstract go in a thesis or dissertation? The abstract appears on its own page in the thesis or dissertation, after the title page and acknowledgements but before the table of contents.
Should acknowledgements be at the end of a book? ›
The acknowledgments page usually appears right before or after the table of contents or at the end of the book just before the author page. Indie authors can often play with the placement of this important page since they are in the driver's seat when making design decisions.
How do you cite a publisher? ›
Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. City of Publication, Publisher, Publication Date. *Note: the City of Publication should only be used if the book was published before 1900, if the publisher has offices in more than one country, or if the publisher is unknown in North America.
How do you acknowledge a source correctly? ›
You must acknowledge the original author and where you found the material within the resource. This can be done using an in-text citation, a footnote or an endnote. As there are a variety of referencing styles, you should follow your teachers' advice on which to use.
How do you address an email to a publisher? ›
PERSONALLY address your email to the right person – use the agent or publisher's name (NOT Dear Mr. Penguin/Dear Mrs. Curtis Brown) Google them to get the spelling right. Find out if the agent or editor you are approaching is a Mr. or a Ms.
How do you acknowledge a copyright? ›
Add these details underneath the image:
- Title: The title of the image.
- Author: The name of the creator.
- Source: The URL where the image is hosted (plus optional link to author profile).
- License: The type of Creative Commons license it is available under, including a link to the relevant license.
