Author affiliation disclosures are arguably a critical yet poorly understood and largely unregulated phenomenon in scholarly and scientific publishing. First, this paper argues that affiliation attribution practices are burdened by misunderstandings and misuses. Second, it suggests that universities, research institutions and publishers should urgently engage in a conversation aimed at clearly defining expectations and promoting best practices. Third, it introduces affiliation contribution statements as a concrete initiative in the direction of increased accuracy, transparency, and accountability.
Keywords: Research ethics; authorship; misconduct in research; publication ethics; research ethics in university contexts; research integrity.