[Taxacom] Ethics? Whose name should be written on a publication as an Author?

[Thomas G. Lammers]

At 12:06 PM 2/23/2010, Robin Leech wrote:
>Professors who know nothing of the work the student is doing often put
>their own names as first author on the paper when it is published, and that
>of the student second or last.

In my experience, this is most often a problem in labs where the professor 
is worried about his/her number of pubs, or in very large labs where the 
professor is more like a CEO with employees than a mentor with 
apprentices.  I was very fortunate to have a major professor who insisted 
on an honest authorship.  Your dissertation was your work; his name did not 
go on it.  With side-projects, whomever did the greater portion of the work 
(usually the student) went first.

 >>Science Fiction means not truthful, and Science Friction means the lack 
of ability to work together, or lack of cooperation, between scientists.<<

Which highlights my point that authorship should be negotiated and 
agreeable to all parties.

Tom

Thomas G. Lammers, Ph.D.

Associate Professor
Curator of the Neil A. Harriman Herbarium (OSH)
Department of Biology and Microbiology
800 Algoma Blvd.
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901-8640 USA

e-mail:     lammers at uwosh.edu
phone:      920-424-1002

Plant systematics; classification, nomenclature, evolution, and 
biogeography of the Campanulaceae s. lat.

Webpages:
http://www.uwosh.edu/biology/storage-for-faculty-web-pages/tom-lammers-ph.d
http://www.uwosh.edu/colsreports/faculty-notes/dr.-thomas-lammers-1/dr.-thomas-lammers
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=297234
http://www.mbgpress.info/index.php?task=id&id=90602
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