A fair reward

Abstract

Power is never far removed from publication. To become an author, especially a first author, is to build up valuable academic muscle. The word "author", derived from the Latin auctor, cannot escape the implication of this power. Authority, its close relation, shares the same etymological origins and means the power derived from office. For our purposes, authorship is a special office that rests on the byline of a scientific paper, one conferring considerable authority.