Withdrawal Policy and Modifying Writing Groups

Withdrawal Policy 

• All inactive proposals and manuscripts are subject to automatic withdrawal if there is no visible progress in three or more years so that the topic may become available for a new, active writing group.
• Before a record is withdrawn, the Writing Chair will be queried and given 30 days to respond with a plan for proceeding, if desired.  
• If significant effort was already made (eg, substantial analyses were performed or a penultimate draft manuscript was approved but not published), the authors may propose a strategy that includes a timeline for completion.
• Withdrawn records may be reactivated upon request if further progress by the original writing group is planned.

Modifying Writing Groups

Writing Group modifications do not require CHS review. However, before making any changes to a writing group, authors should consider whether:

• There is sufficient expertise to analyze the data correctly and complete the manuscript.
• Authorization for data access, if needed, is in place.
• All Writing Group members are made aware of their responsiblities.

In addition, the P&P Committee may suggest changing the composition of Writing Groups that fail to produce a manuscript within a reasonable amount of time. When a delay develops, the P&P Committee may contact the Writing Group to determine if author changes are necessary.

Disagreements over authorship order or participation that cannot be resolved by the Writing Chair will be resolved by the P&P Committee, with the Steering Committee acting as final arbitrator.

FAQ:

How much review time should be given to coauthors?

A 30-day allotment is generally considered the standard courtesy for large documents such as penultimate draft manuscripts. Shorter documents such as proposals or abstracts should be circulated to co-authors no less than 2 weeks prior to P&P submission.
 

Can I request the removal of a coauthor?

Yes. If there has been no reply after at least two separate drafts of the document were circulated, it is acceptable to send the delinquent coauthor notification stating that you must assume he/she is unable to participate in the paper and that his/her name will be removed. Please also notify the P&P Committee of this action.
 

What if a coauthor wishes to resign from the Writing Group?

If a Co-author wishes to voluntarily resign from a Writing Group, the Writing Group Chair must also notify the P&P Committee, indicating whether or not there remains sufficient expertise to complete the paper.

Related Links

Modifying Proposals and Penultimate Draft Manuscripts
General Guidelines for Writing Groups
Responsibilities of Writing Group Members
Nomination of Writing Group Members