Sometimes in office-boss creates pressure on the junior colleagues to include his/her name as co-author. Sometimes they can not escape and do so which is unethical for scientific research field. How can we avoid it. What is your opinion, please?
Say no. When I review papers, I always check and ask for author contribution and recommend removal if there is not a significant contribution. You can also write a paragraph outlining author contribution and then ask the boss what you should say about their contribution lol
Hello Mohammod Hossain,
I would like to think that a co-author should have some contribution to the paper, but realised, from reading your question, that it was not as straight forward as that, so looked for further help on the matter. I agree that it seems unfair that junior colleagues are pressured to make their hard work appear as if the boss helped.
There was a thought in my mind that if the non-contributing co-author reads the paper in order that he/she does not co-author something that he/she does not agree with, at least that might open the door for valuable discussion?
This was asked as a question on ResearchGate in 2013:
https://www.researchgate.net/post/Who_should_be_among_co-authors_of_the_scientific_paper_TOPIC_CLOSED
This link below is interesting, from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) (so, not from your particular field); evidently, some journals now enquire the role carried out by each co-author. The whole link is worth reading:
http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html
This article also mentions the ICMJE and looks at non-contributing authors; see first column p.32:
https://publicationethics.org/files/2003pdf12_0.pdf
I found other links also:
Article What qualifies a person to be an author of a research paper?
Maybe you could approach the authors on ResearchGate for advice?
I found this link regarding your problem which came from Taylor and Francis. It made me wonder whether you could engage editorial advice from the journal the paper is being submitted to:
https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/defining-authorship/
I hope this helps.
Very best wishes,
Mary
Say no. When I review papers, I always check and ask for author contribution and recommend removal if there is not a significant contribution. You can also write a paragraph outlining author contribution and then ask the boss what you should say about their contribution lol
The above response from Andrew Paul McKenzie Pegman is good; I never did this as a reviewer. It would be advantageous if this advice was included in the advice for reviewers.
Hahah!!
This is a very tricky request from boss. What if you propose to acknowledge him/her at least for being the boss of the institution or request her /him to write for him/herself the authors' contribution part of the manuscript and judge the personality yourself, from their you can know how to behave nextime.
Mary C R Wilson Thank you for nice advice and suggestion. You constructive observation will help me and other scholars in RG for facing the problem.
Difo Voukang Harouna thank you for your response. Sometimes boss insists to write 'all authors have equal contribution.
I know its difficult to refuse sometimes. Acknowledging and giving a co-authorship are different things. I liked the suggestion by Andrew.
Saying no to controlling person is straightforward and sometimes difficult for the people from third world countries.
Very funny and sad together because of the real fact. But It's very difficult to avoid boss, so you should publish silently otherwise give his name. Finally, boss is always right don't forget it.
Did the boss have a role in funding, in arranging laboratory facilities or other things that are less obvious for an author?
Is there something you can express your gratitude for in an acknowledgement?
Sir,till the time there is no contribution of the author his or her name should not be put in.But then the same should not impact you professionally.Sometimes the guide of Phd scholars stress on their name in the guide's paper.This should be optional and not forced upon.
s. Béatrice Marianne Ewalds-Kvist dear Professor thank you for your comment. In the third world countries, even if the boss has no contribution in funding, arranging lab facilities etc., just being boss he (generally not she) proposes to be an author of paper.
Cinitha A yes, I am talking about a beginner who has just started his carrier.
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