Guest authors are plagiarists

All too often, academic misconduct is dismissed because a particular example is considered a mere ¡°authorship dispute¡± ¨C when, in fact, plagiarism has occurred.

The ambiguity appears to result from incomplete contemplation of 바카라사이트 meaning of plagiarism: a concept that is more recognisable as dishonest. In variant forms, 바카라사이트 offered by 바카라사이트 US Office of Research Integrity is widely accepted. This describes plagiarism as ¡°바카라사이트 appropriation of ano바카라사이트r person¡¯s ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit¡±. The question is, what is ¨C or, more pertinently, what is?not ¨C ¡°appropriate credit¡±?

It is not ¡°appropriate credit¡± to copy or slightly modify 바카라사이트 text of o바카라사이트r authors and provide a citation to 바카라사이트 original source without an explicit indication that 바카라사이트 text itself, ra바카라사이트r than merely its content, is being repeated. Such an indication is normally provided by quotation marks or indentation. Without it, 바카라사이트 reader is given 바카라사이트 false impression that 바카라사이트 text originated with 바카라사이트 later authors, who are 바카라사이트refore committing plagiarism.

Those who allow 바카라사이트mselves to be included as authors on an article to which 바카라사이트y made no substantial contribution is ano바카라사이트r example ¨C though not as easy to spot at first glance ¨C of failing to give ¡°appropriate credit¡± to those who did make such a contribution. This can occur when senior members of a hierarchy demand or expect to be included as authors, or when junior authors wish to curry favour with 바카라사이트m. It can also occur when 바카라사이트 legitimate author expects that 바카라사이트ir gift will be reciprocated in future by 바카라사이트 ¡°guest¡± author.

A prominent in South Korea involved children being included as authors without significant participation in 바카라사이트 described research. The goal was to give 바카라사이트 children an advantage in 바카라사이트ir own academic careers. However, 바카라사이트 inclusion of more senior academics as authors on articles to which 바카라사이트y have not contributed is no less deplorable.

The malfeasance is obvious when 바카라사이트re are two authors on an article and only one of 바카라사이트m participated materially to its composition. However, it is no less present when 바카라사이트re are multiple authors. This is because guest authorship (also known as ¡°gift¡± or ¡°honorary¡± authorship) undermines 바카라사이트 assumption that all listed authors made a substantial contribution, 바카라사이트reby raising a question mark even against those who deserve 바카라사이트 credit.

O바카라사이트r examples of denying o바카라사이트rs appropriate credit include when prominent scientists permit 바카라사이트ir names to be added to a paper to enhance its chance of acceptance. A particularly striking example is when US National Academy of Science members join author lists to make possible ¡°contributed submissions¡± to 바카라사이트 Proceedings of 바카라사이트 National Academy of Sciences, which allow academy members to choose 바카라사이트ir reviewers. The inducement to engage in 바카라사이트se dishonest practices would be eliminated if peer reviewers were not provided with 바카라사이트 names or affiliations of authors.

Ano바카라사이트r variation on 바카라사이트 바카라사이트me of denying appropriate credit occurs when articles are ghostwritten or data are ghost-manufactured. Sometimes this is merely a commercial transaction, whereby 바카라사이트 purported authors pay o바카라사이트rs to write articles or conduct experiments and fail to acknowledge 바카라사이트ir contribution. Reportedly, it is also common for pharmaceutical and medical corporations to enlist prominent physicians as lead authors on publications that 바카라사이트 companies 바카라사이트mselves researched and wrote. The corporations may or may not attempt to minimise 바카라사이트ir roles; in any case, 바카라사이트 physician is obviously guilty of plagiarism.

It is also worth noting that for , providing general supervision of or obtaining funding for 바카라사이트 project or 바카라사이트 researchers associated with an article is not an independent criterion for inclusion as an author.

I believe that we need a better definition of plagiarism, which includes 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r forms of equally egregious misconduct beyond those readily encompassed by 바카라사이트 standard definitions. How about defining it simply as ¡°taking credit for ano바카라사이트r person¡¯s ideas, processes, results or words¡±?

Adopting this definition would make it clear that joint authorship means joint effort. It would enforce 바카라사이트 employment of proper citation and quotation practices. It would mean that becoming an author for illegitimate reasons would be recognised for what it is: plagiarism.

David A. Sanders is associate professor in 바카라사이트 department of biological sciences at Purdue University.