RCR Instructor Resources
Module 1: What is Authorship?

Assignment

Complete & Continue Next Lesson Learn More

Instructions.

The characters that you learned about in the “What is Authorship?” video were a subset of a larger team in a popular ethics case entitled “You Make the Call” (Zigmund & Fisher, 1998). Now we’d like you to think about those additional team members and whether or not each of them deserve authorship. 

Scroll through each of the descriptions below to read about each character’s role in the project. Then answer the questions about authorship credit provided.

PART 1. WHO GETS AUTHORSHIP?

Considering the descriptions provided in the graphic below, make a list of team members that you would include as authors on the manuscript and provide a brief explanation (one or two reasons) detailing why you think each individual deserves authorship credit. 

PART 2. WHO DOES NOT GET AUTHORSHIP?

Provide a brief explanation (one or two reasons) detailing why you do not think the remaining team members warrant authorship credit. Would you acknowledge their contributions in another way? If so, how?

  • Role in project:

    contributed to experiment design

    contributed to data analysis & interpretation

    edited several drafts of manuscript

  • Role in project:

    obtained salary, supply, & equipment funding

  • Role in project:

    inspired the research topic

    contributed to research design

    assisted with analysis & interpretation of data

  • Role in project:

    proposed & conducted experiments 

    conducted analysis & interpreted data

    wrote first draft & edited subsequent 

  • Role in project:

    performed some of the sample analyses

  • Role in project:

    provided specialized care to ensure study animal survival

  • Role in project:

    trained in required techniques

    conducted all surgical procedures

    conducted some biochemical analyses

  • Role in project:

    shared tool of his own design

    (central to the experiments & not otherwise available)