Distribution of authorship in a scientific work

Andy Petroianu1

  • 1Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. petroian@gmail.com

Insights

Establishing clear authorship criteria is crucial in medical research. This study proposes a numerical method to objectively value contributions, preventing conflicts and ensuring fair author order.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Research Ethics
  • Scientific Publication
  • Authorship Criteria

Background:

  • Publishing research is essential in medicine, but author order often lacks standardized criteria.
  • Divergent conventions exist across medical and scientific sectors, leading to potential disputes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce a numerical scoring system for valuing individual contributions to scientific research.
  • To provide objective guidelines for determining author inclusion and ranking.

Main Methods:

  • A scoring system was developed based on the various stages of scientific work.
  • Key areas evaluated include idea generation, methodology, data collection, manuscript writing, and group coordination.
  • Specific criteria address literature review, problem-solving, patient/material provision, and funding acquisition.

Main Results:

  • The proposed method quantifies contributions across 19 distinct aspects of research.
  • It offers a framework for ranking authors, addressing honorary authorship, and preventing authorship usurpation.

Conclusions:

  • Establishing objective authorship criteria at the project's outset is vital to prevent conflicts.
  • The proposed subjective scoring method aims to minimize interference and avoid conflicts of interest in scientific collaborations.
Abstract

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