Credit for Work Discussion

The question of authorship can seem a bit vague as you begin a research career, but anyone who made significant contributions to the research should generally be included in the author list.  The specific guidelines accepted by the APS state that “all those who have made significant contributions should be offered the opportunity to be listed as authors.” 

If you believe that you made significant contributions, one possibility is to simply ask your advisor directly whether you will be included as an author. It could be that she has not specifically thought about the author list yet or has other plans for publishing your contributions to the project.  

If you do not feel that you’ve gotten a satisfactory answer, a trusted faculty member who is not involved with your research group might be able to provide guidance on what is typical and appropriate. If that fails, consulting the department head or the departmental ombudsperson would be appropriate.

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