Frequently asked questions

CRediT (Contributor Roles Taxonomy) is a standard way to describe who contributed what to a research project. Instead of relying only on the order of authors on a paper, it allows research teams to identify specific roles such as Investigation, Data Curation, Formal Analysis, or Writing – Original Draft.

For students and research assistants, CRediT can help make your work on a project more visible and easier to describe on a CV or graduate school application.

What kinds of contributions can be recognized?

Some examples include:

• Collecting or organizing research data (Investigation, Data Curation)
• Analyzing data or running statistical tests (Formal Analysis)
• Creating figures or visualizations (Visualization)
• Helping write or revise a paper (Writing – Original Draft, Writing – Review & Editing)
• Supporting the research project or helping coordinate the work (Project Administration)

Does using CRediT mean I will be listed as an author?

Not necessarily. Authorship decisions are made by the research team and often follow journal or disciplinary guidelines. However, CRediT can help clarify what each contributor did and support conversations about recognition.

Can I include these contributions on my CV?

Yes. Many students and research assistants list their contributions using CRediT-style language when describing research experience.

Learn more

• CRediT contributor roles
• ORCID for MRU researchers