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

[Robin Leech]

Well, when I was in the throes of getting my MSc thesis published
in the latter part of the previous century, I asked my professor if he
would be second author.

Without missing a beat, he said, "If I did as much work on your
thesis to enable me to be able to be second author, then I hereby take
away your MSc degree.  I get my glory in the Acknowledgements."

When an undergrad is looking for a supervisor for say an MSc, how
many of them understand the significance of first and second author?
It is more likely that the student would feel, "Boy!  He's good.  He has
his name on 35 papers!  He's the one I want for supervisor."

Robin

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Frederick W. Schueler" <bckcdb at istar.ca>
To: <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 11:27 AM
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Ethics? Whose name should be written on a publication 
asan Author?


> 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.
>
> * this kind of behaviour does leave a paper trail, however, and students
> evaluating potential supervisors are advised to favour those who are
> often second or third authors in work they've done with their graduate
> students.
>
> fred.
> ------------------------------------------------------------
>          Frederick W. Schueler & Aleta Karstad
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