Researchers uncertain about authorship requirements and institutional guidelines for meta-analyses and systematic reviews

Academic researchers conducting meta-analyses and systematic reviews face confusion about whether solo authorship is acceptable or if multiple authors are mandatory, with no clear institutional or journal standards to reference. This ambiguity creates delays in publication planning, potential rejection, and wasted effort on projects that may not meet unstated requirements. Current solutions (journal guidelines, advisor consultation) are inconsistent and often discovered too late in the research process.