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The authorship list in science: Junior physicists’ perceptions of who appears and why

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Abstract

A questionnaire probing the distribution of authorship credit was given to postdoctoral associates (“postdocs”) in order to determine their awareness of the professional society’s ethical statement on authorship, the extent of communication with their supervisors about authorship criteria, and the appropriateness of authorship assignments on submitted papers.

Results indicate a low awareness of the professional society’s ethical statement and that little communication takes place between postdocs and supervisors about authorship criteria. A substantial amount of authorship credit given to supervisors and other workers is perceived by the postdocs to violate the professional society’s ethical statement.

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  1. Avalon Business Systems, Inc., 3725 Blackstone Avenue, Ste. 4E, 10463-1444, Riverdale, NY, USA

    Eugen Tarnow PhD

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  1. Eugen Tarnow PhD
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Correspondence to Eugen Tarnow PhD.

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Tarnow, E. The authorship list in science: Junior physicists’ perceptions of who appears and why. SCI ENG ETHICS 5, 73–88 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-999-0061-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-999-0061-2

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