Which Author Is Responsible for Sharing Reprints with Readers

If you’ve ever submitted a manuscript to a biomedical journal, you’ve likely seen the corresponding-author box without giving it much thought. That single designation, however, carries a specific practical duty: handling reprint requests from readers. This article explains who that author is, why the responsibility falls on them, and what the guidelines from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and the CITI Program’s Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training actually say.

Authors on a typical biomedical paper: 5.7 (average) ·
Primary responsibility for reprint distribution: Corresponding author ·
ICMJE criteria for authorship: 4 conditions ·
Share of journals requiring corresponding author designation: >90% ·
Reprint requests handled by corresponding author: 100% (standard practice)

Four core facts define the answer to the question “which author is normally responsible for sharing reprints of a publication with readers.”

The pattern is clear: the corresponding author is the single point of contact, not a rotating duty shared across co-authors.

Who is responsible for sharing reprints of a publication?

The person listed as the corresponding author on the article is the one who normally handles reprint requests. According to the ICMJE Recommendations (primary authority for biomedical publishing standards), the corresponding author “takes primary responsibility for communication with the journal during manuscript submission, peer review, and with readers after publication.” That reader communication includes requests for copies or reprints.

What is the role of the corresponding author?

• The corresponding author serves as the single point of contact for editorial queries and reader correspondence (ICMJE Recommendations).
• They ensure all co‑authors meet authorship criteria and approve the final manuscript (ICMJE News and Editorials).
• When a reader emails the corresponding author for a reprint, the author can provide a PDF or direct the reader to the publisher’s site.

The responsibility is not a legal obligation but a professional convention embedded in ICMJE guidelines and reinforced by AMWA (American Medical Writers Association) guidance.

How does CITI RCR training define this responsibility?

• The CITI Program’s Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course for biomedical researchers includes a module on authorship that explicitly quizzes on the corresponding author’s duty to handle reprints.
• Multiple flashcard sets on Quizlet (student-reviewed platform) and CourseHero (study note repository) confirm the answer: the corresponding author.

Bottom line: The corresponding author is the designated contact for reprint requests per ICMJE and CITI RCR training. For test-takers: always select “corresponding author.” For authors: understand that this duty is part of the role, though publishers now sell reprints through their own portals.

What are reprints in publishing?

A reprint is a copy of an article that is reprinted from the original publication. The concept dates back to the print era, when journals would run extra copies to fulfill individual requests. Today the term can refer to a PDF, a printed copy produced on demand, or a special collection of articles bundled for a conference or pharmaceutical company.

How do reprints differ from offprints?

• Reprints are typically ordered in bulk from the publisher after initial publication and often include a new cover or branding.
• Offprints are single copies of an article printed directly from the original journal run—often what authors received for personal distribution.
• In modern practice, the terms are often used interchangeably, but publishers like Wolters Kluwer (publisher of Lippincott journals) sell “author reprints” through a dedicated service.

Why are reprints used in academic communication?

• Researchers distribute reprints to colleagues, conference attendees, or interested readers to increase the reach of their work.
• Pharmaceutical and medical device companies purchase reprints in bulk to use in marketing materials under regulatory guidelines.
• Even in the digital age, some readers prefer a print copy, and the corresponding author remains the default go‑between.

HarperCollins Publishers UK defines a reprint broadly as “a new printing of a previously published book” (HarperCollins Glossary). That definition extends to journal articles: a reprint is a second (or later) run of the same content.

What is the responsibility of each author?

Not every co‑author fields reprint requests. Understanding the broader framework of authorship helps clarify why the corresponding author is the one singled out.

What are ICMJE’s four authorship criteria?

The ICMJE Recommendations (standard set by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors) require all authors to meet each of four conditions:

1. Substantial contributions to conception, design, data acquisition, or analysis.
2. Drafting or critical revision of the work.
3. Final approval of the version to be published.
4. Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

These criteria apply to every listed author. The corresponding author, however, is the one who coordinates the fulfillment of these criteria during submission and manages post‑publication reader contact.

How do author responsibilities differ from contributor roles?

• Many journals now use a contributor‑ship model (e.g., CRediT taxonomy) where each person’s specific contribution is described (conceptualization, data curation, writing, etc.).
• The corresponding author role is an administrative and communication function that sits on top of contributor roles.
• A contributor who only performed data collection does not normally handle reprint requests—that remains with the corresponding author.

Clarivate (operator of Web of Science) explains that if a journal does not explicitly list a corresponding or reprint author, the primary author is used for indexing—further emphasizing that the role is about communication, not hierarchy.

Bottom line: Each author must meet ICMJE criteria, but only the corresponding author handles reprint requests. Contributor roles describe what each person did; the corresponding author role describes who the journal and readers talk to.

Which of the following is a responsibility of each author?

Common multiple‑choice questions test the difference between individual duties and the corresponding author’s specific tasks.

Does every author handle reprint requests?

• No. Sharing reprints is not a responsibility of every author; only the corresponding author performs this function.
• Other universal responsibilities include ensuring data integrity, ethical compliance, and approval of the final manuscript (ICMJE Recommendations).

Who ensures reprints are available to readers?

• The corresponding author manages the request and either supplies a copy or directs the reader to the publisher’s reprint service.
• In practice, publishers like Wolters Kluwer (publisher of over 300 medical journals) sell reprints directly, but the corresponding author remains the first point of contact.

A 2024 study in Quantitative Science Studies (peer‑reviewed bibliometric journal) found that from 1998 onward, about 98% of publications in biomedical databases carried a reprint‑author tag, confirming that the role is nearly universal in indexed literature.

Which author is normally responsible for sharing reprints of a publication with readers?

This exact phrasing appears on dozens of flashcard sets. The answer is unambiguous: the corresponding author.

Where is this rule documented?

• ICMJE Recommendations, section II.A.1: “The corresponding author is the one individual who takes primary responsibility for communication with the journal during manuscript submission, peer review, and with readers after publication.”
• CITI Program’s RCR curriculum: “The corresponding author normally handles requests for reprints.”
• Clarivate Web of Science indexing: the reprint‑address field is mapped from the corresponding author’s affiliation.

What quizlet and coursehero sources confirm the answer?

• Four separate flashcard sets on Quizlet and one document on CourseHero state the answer directly.
• These are student‑generated but mirror the authoritative guidelines.

For anyone preparing for the CITI RCR exam or answering common authorship‑ethics questions, the reliable answer is the corresponding author. The APH Quality Handbook (European public health quality resource) similarly notes that the corresponding author is the contact point for readers requesting reprints or asking questions about the research.

“The corresponding author is the one individual who takes primary responsibility for communication with the journal during manuscript submission, peer review, and with readers after publication.”

– ICMJE Recommendations, Section II.A.1

“The corresponding author is commonly the contact point listed so readers can request reprints or ask questions about the research.”

– APH Quality Handbook

“A reprint is a new printing of a previously published book or article.”

– HarperCollins Publishers UK – Glossary

The pattern across all authoritative sources is consistent: one designated person handles reprint distribution. The ICMJE framework has kept this rule in place since at least 1997, and the CITI RCR curriculum ensures that every NIH‑trained researcher knows it. For the reader asking “which author is normally responsible for sharing reprints of a publication with readers?”, the answer is simple—the corresponding author—but the underlying structure of authorship responsibilities is richer than a single quizlet card suggests. For researchers, the implication is clear: if you accept the corresponding‑author tag, you accept the reprint duty, or you clearly delegate it to the publisher’s reprint office.

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