This is a test version of Biostars. For the public version, visit https://www.biostars.org.
Listing Affiliations On Manuscripts After Move

I'm listed as an author on several papers coming out of my graduate school lab, and I'm not sure how to list my affiliation now that I've moved on.

These papers were conceived and largely completed while at my previous institution, but I've done some of the manuscript editing and minor figure manipulation while at my current position. The funding was certainly all from my previous position.

What's the agreed-upon convention for listing affiliation in cases like these - the old place, the new place, or both?

• 13,602 views • link
updated by David Quigley David Quigley • written by Chris Miller Chris Miller

I'm not sure this is really a bioinformatics-specific topic. If there isn't too much opposition, I vote to close this as "off-topic".

• 0 views • link
written by Casey Bergman Casey Bergman

I'll re-open if the community thinks this is a bioinformatics-related issue.

• 0 views • link
written by Casey Bergman Casey Bergman

3 answers

The right thing to do is to ask the editor if you're not certain. Some journals print their advice in the author guidelines.

Nature Publishing Group:

The primary affiliation for each author should be the institution where the majority of their work was done. If an author has subsequently moved, the current address may also be stated.

• 117 views • link
updated by Ram Ram • written by David Quigley David Quigley

Which is actually an advice that makes sense, isn't it?

• 0 views • link
written by Chris Evelo Chris Evelo

In the situation you have described, you should list your previous institution as the principal one, because it is the one that financed the work and it is where you have done most of it.

However, note that when signing a paper, you can put more than an affiliation. I would suggest you to put both of them, for two reasons:

  • It is good to have at least one paper where it appears that you have worked in both institutions, because it will be easier to demonstrate that you are the same person. For example, you will appear as the same person in web engines such as pubmed and scopus.
  • It is always good to make everybody happy. It doesn't cost anything to put multiple institutions, so why not do it?
• 0 views • link
written by Giovanni M Dall'Olio Giovanni M Dall'Olio

+1 for listing both

• 0 views • link
written by Qdjm Qdjm

Giovanni's first reason actually makes it somewhat more bioinformatics related. In collection of data for instance from text mining we often want to know who the author was and using co-authors and shared institutes is indeed a way to find out. (Not intended as a vote to reopen the question though).

• 0 views • link
written by Chris Evelo Chris Evelo

Well, I would go for the university that financed your project, so the "old place"

• 0 views • link
written by Pasta • Pasta

Log in to answer this question.

More posts like this