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"Technical" Contributors and Authorship Distribution in Health Science
1Department of Bioethics and Health Humanities, School of Public and Population Health, Member of the Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas MedicalBranch, Galveston, TX, USA. elissmit@utmb.edu.
Science and Engineering Ethics
|June 21, 2023
Summary
Technical contributions in health sciences are often undervalued, leading to systemic injustices in authorship. This paper argues for reconceiving technical roles as essential, promoting ethical inclusion and research integrity.
Area of Science:
- Health Sciences
- Sociology of Science
- Research Ethics
Background:
- Technical contributions in health sciences are frequently undervalued and excluded from author bylines.
- Authorship is a historical construct perpetuating systemic injustices, including the undervaluation of technical expertise.
- Academic power dynamics and the concept of 'habitus' make changing established authorship norms challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate how authorship constructs perpetuate systemic injustices in health sciences.
- To argue for reconceiving technical contributions as equally important when assigning authorship.
- To offer recommendations for the ethical inclusion of technical contributors in scientific publications.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing Pierre Bourdieu's conceptual framework to analyze power dynamics in academia.
- Examining the evolution of scientific contributions, particularly in statistics, data science, and laboratory work.
- Analyzing the ethical implications of undervaluing technical expertise in research integrity and authorship.
Main Results:
- Science's evolution necessitates high technical and intellectual expertise from 'technicians,' increasing their contribution's value.
- Excluding or undervaluing technical work contradicts norms of responsibility, fairness, and trustworthiness in science.
- Contributorship, while increasing accountability, may legitimize undervaluation and decrease scientific integrity.
Conclusions:
- Reconceiving technical contributions is crucial for ethical authorship and research integrity.
- Promoting the inclusion of technical contributors strengthens the trustworthiness of scientific research.
- Recommendations are provided to foster ethical authorship practices that recognize diverse scientific expertise.
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