ABSTRACT
Submission deadlines for abstracts to major conferences are non-negotiable. The principles of authorship used by journals generally apply to conference abstracts. The abstract is a crucial part of the paper and, in many cases, the only part that gets read. Some journal editors perform their initial screening by reading only the abstract. Good Publication Practice recommends that sponsors should 'provide authors with access to all of the study information necessary to prepare the publication or presentation before writing begins, allow relevant access to anonymized patient-level data, and provide reasonable additional analyses in support of the publication upon request'. The source of funding or support for research should always be described. Most journals do not disclose the identity of reviewers to authors. Anonymity is supposed to enable reviewers to speak their mind without fearing the consequences. Final approval of the version to be published is one of the four criteria for authorship promoted by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors.
