Direct comparison
Corresponding Author vs. First Author: Same?
Often the same person, but no ICMJE rule requires it. First author signals the biggest contribution; corresponding author handles journal communication.
Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
Ask CASRAI · included with Regulatory Radar
Ask about Corresponding Author vs. First Author: Same?
Ask CASRAI answers research-administration questions and cites the passages behind every claim — and says so when the corpus does not cover something, instead of guessing. It comes with a Regulatory Radar subscription at $29 a month, alongside the daily digest of regulatory changes and the dashboard of what changed.
150 questions a day, on this site, over the API, or inside your own tools through the CASRAI MCP server.
Everything CASRAI publishes — this page, the dictionary, the guides and the news — stays free to read, with no account and no card.
How do First Author, Corresponding Author compare side by side?
The table below compares First Author, Corresponding Author across 9 procurement-relevant dimensions, from what it defines through who typically holds it.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | First Author | Corresponding Author |
|---|---|---|
| What it defines | Position in the byline (typically leftmost/first-listed) | Who communicates with the journal and remains accountable for the paper |
| Defined by | Discipline/journal convention — not defined by ICMJE | ICMJE recommendations (implemented via individual journal policy) |
| What it typically signals | Largest individual contribution, in fields where order is contribution-based (biomedical, most life sciences) | Administrative completeness and availability for editorial/post-publication queries — not contribution size |
| Timing of responsibility | None — it is a static position, not an ongoing duty | Active across submission, peer review, AND after publication (critiques, data requests) |
| Can be delegated | Not applicable | Underlying administrative tasks may be delegated to co-authors; accountability is not |
| One per paper? | One, unless the journal recognizes co-first authorship | Usually one, but co-corresponding authors are allowed at some journals' discretion |
| Part of CRediT's 14 roles? | No — byline order and CRediT roles are independent systems | No — CRediT describes contribution type, not communication or byline role |
| Reliable across disciplines? | No — alphabetical-order fields (e.g. some physics, math, economics subfields) strip the contribution signal entirely | Yes — ICMJE's definition is discipline-agnostic for journals that follow it |
| Who typically holds it | Often a graduate student, postdoc, or other researcher who did most of the hands-on work | Often the principal investigator/senior author, for institutional continuity — but not required |
Common questions
Common questions about First Author vs Corresponding Author
Can the first author also be the corresponding author?
+
Yes — ICMJE places no restriction on this, and it is common, especially when an early-career researcher wants visible ownership of both the intellectual contribution and post-publication accountability.
Why is the senior author usually the corresponding author instead of the first author?
+
It is a common convention, not an ICMJE requirement. Senior authors (often PIs) tend to have the institutional continuity — stable contact information, ongoing access to data — that post-publication responsiveness requires, especially after a first-author trainee moves institutions.
Does being corresponding author count as more credit than being first author?
+
They are not directly comparable — one reflects contribution size (in fields where order is contribution-based), the other reflects a communication and accountability role. Tenure and promotion committees weigh each differently, and practice varies by institution and field.
Is corresponding author one of the ICMJE authorship criteria?
+
No. Meeting ICMJE's four authorship criteria is what makes someone an author at all. Corresponding author is a separate role assigned among authors who already qualify.
Can there be more than one corresponding author?
+
ICMJE does not itself prohibit or endorse co-corresponding authors; whether a journal permits more than one is that journal's own editorial policy decision. See CASRAI's entry on the co-corresponding author convention .
