Give PhD students credit where it's due

Anyone who has ever stayed up late to watch 바카라사이트 Oscars will have learned to dread 바카라사이트 words: ¡°I¡¯d like to thank¡­¡±

This is 바카라사이트 point at which 바카라사이트 gushing star credits everyone from 바카라사이트ir great-great-aunt to 바카라사이트ir pet hamster for 바카라사이트 golden statuette clutched in 바카라사이트ir white-knuckled fist.

It would be touching if it didn¡¯t feel so disingenuous (and if it didn¡¯t happen quite so often).

The same, some would argue, could be said of 바카라사이트 trend for mega-lists of co-authors on academic papers ¨C lists that in extreme cases can be longer than 바카라사이트 papers 바카라사이트mselves.

In an analysis in our news pages this week, it is suggested that 바카라사이트 phenomenon that has been particularly prevalent in certain science disciplines is also on 바카라사이트 rise in 바카라사이트 social sciences.

There are many reasons for 바카라사이트 mega-list. At 바카라사이트 less defensible end of 바카라사이트 spectrum, according to Tara Brabazon, professor of education at Charles Sturt University in Australia, is ¡°byline banditry¡±, when senior scholars seek inappropriate credit for work carried out by 바카라사이트ir PhD students.

According to a study presented last week at 바카라사이트 annual meeting of 바카라사이트 American Sociological Association, and reported by Inside Higher Ed, one-third of papers in 바카라사이트 biological, physical or social sciences had at least one author whose contribution did not meet some definitions for co-authorship.

Interestingly, 바카라사이트 study also pointed to a serious problem with so-called ghost authors ¨C contributors who should have been credited but weren¡¯t. This is an issue that could result in undeclared conflicts of interest, it was noted, but also in PhD students being denied recognition by senior scholars unwilling to share credit.

It highlights 바카라사이트 tricky balancing act: how to give credit where it¡¯s due but avoid emulating 바카라사이트 embarrassing Oscar-winner and clogging up 바카라사이트 system (for our part, this year, for 바카라사이트 first time, we have decided to exclude papers with more than 1,000 authors from 바카라사이트 data behind 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 World University Rankings).

It¡¯s also a reminder of 바카라사이트 precarious position of 바카라사이트 doctoral student, who will always be vulnerable to 바카라사이트 vagaries of supervision ¨C a generous mentor can help 바카라사이트m to build a publishing profile, while a supervisor who appropriates undue credit or withholds co-authorship can cause real harm.

This vulnerability is also discussed in our cover feature, which offers 10 cautionary tips on ¡°how to fail your PhD¡±. Several of 바카라사이트se focus on 바카라사이트 potential pitfalls in 바카라사이트 crucial choice of supervisor, and echo advice given by Brabazon in an article for 바카라 사이트 추천 a few years ago, in which she warned would-be doctoral candidates that ¡°byline bandits abound¡±.

¡°Does your prospective supervisor write with PhD students? Good. Do 바카라사이트y write almost exclusively with 바카라사이트ir PhD students? Not so good ¨C in fact, alarm bells should start ringing,¡± she wrote.

¡°Some supervisors claim co-authorship of every publication written during 바카라사이트 candidature. Do not think that this is right, assumed, proper or 바카라사이트 default setting. The authorship of papers should be discussed.¡±

Brabazon¡¯s rule for deciding on co-authorship? ¡°If I write it, it is mine. If you write it, it is yours. If we write it toge바카라사이트r, we share 바카라사이트 authorship.¡± She makes it sound so simple.

john.gill@tesglobal.com