Authorship?

[stickynote]

I started working on a clinical research project with my supervisor about 1.5 years ago. At the beginning he said it was a smaller project and was perfect for me. Now currently there are doctors from across the country contributing and it looks like it’s going to be a paper headed for a higher impact journal.

 

I personally think that the more attention this gets and more people are involved, the bigger the journal it’ll get sent to, which lowers my chances of 1^st, 2^nd, or even any authorship? My thoughts are that why would all of these doctors give away 1^st or 2^nd to an undergrad (even though I’ve done 90% of the work)

 

Anyone else been through this?

[NeuroD]

I started working on a clinical research project with my supervisor about 1.5 years ago. At the beginning he said it was a smaller project and was perfect for me. Now currently there are doctors from across the country contributing and it looks like it’s going to be a paper headed for a higher impact journal.

 

I personally think that the more attention this gets and more people are involved, the bigger the journal it’ll get sent to, which lowers my chances of 1^st, 2^nd, or even any authorship? My thoughts are that why would all of these doctors give away 1^st or 2^nd to an undergrad (even though I’ve done 90% of the work)

 

Anyone else been through this?

I may be wrong, but in my experience (PhD with 7 publications), if it's you're project and you truly did 90% of the work, people don't just stoop in and steal authorship.

 

Also, big name researchers don't care about their authorship position, and they're more interested in the last authorship than the 1st.

 

Best advice anyone here could give is have an honest discussion with your supervisor. Tell them your concerned and you don't k ow what's right, or common practice in this situation.

[stickynote]

I may be wrong, but in my experience (PhD with 7 publications), if it's you're project and you truly did 90% of the work, people don't just stoop in and steal authorship.

 

Also, big name researchers don't care about their authorship position, and they're more interested in the last authorship than the 1st.

 

Best advice anyone here could give is have an honest discussion with your supervisor. Tell them your concerned and you don't k ow what's right, or common practice in this situation.

Thanks for your advice! Yeah from the start I developed a question, wrote up a review paper, drafted the study protocol and sent for REB approval. The other physicians input has been purely through editing and pointing me in the right direction. 

 

You're right, I'll just talk to them to avoid any confusion. Thanks!