Authorship Considerations: What Qualifies?

Publications indicate academic achievement. Unjustified authorship is a violation of scientific integrity. However, many different authorship guidelines have been purposed. Subjective assessments of contributions may differ substantially when made by individual authors. Complex research structures including multicenter multidisciplinary studies further cloud the definition of authorship. New quantitative measurement of research contributions may help guide who deserves to be recognized as an author. Agreement of authorship and order of listing should be discussed at the beginning of any project likely to result in a publication.