Acknowledgements

An acknowledgements section is a brief expression of gratitude to individuals and organizations that contributed to a work but are not listed as authors. It commonly thanks supervisors, colleagues, technicians, editors, mentors, and others who provided help during the research or production process, as well as institutions and facilities that supported the project. It may also recognize funding bodies, grant numbers, data providers, libraries, and suppliers of materials or equipment. The aim is to acknowledge practical and intellectual contributions without attributing authorship to those who did not meet authorship criteria. The wording is typically formal and concise, and statements focus on support rather than evaluation of the work.

Spelling variations include “acknowledgments” (American usage) and “acknowledgement” or “acknowledgements” (British usage).

Placement of acknowledgements varies by publication type. In books and theses, they appear in the front matter or preliminary pages. In journal articles, they are usually a distinct section near the end, sometimes appearing before or after the references, or as part of the author contribution notes. Many publishers require explicit acknowledgment of funding sources, including grant numbers. Ethical considerations include obtaining consent before naming individuals and avoiding overly personal or sensitive information.