Women In Science Receives Less Authorship Credit Than Their Male Counterparts
A new study reveals that women in science are less likely than their male counterparts to be given authorship credit for the work they do. The findings revealed that women were significantly less likely to have their names recorded as authors in what is known as “high-impact” studies. In addition, women were less likely to receive credit in all scientific domains, from those where they predominate (like health) to those where they are underrepresented (such as engineering).
Women are also far less likely than men to have their names listed on patents for projects they both worked on; even after controlling for all other variables, the difference is 59 percent.
In comparison to men, who made up 38 percent of the sample, 43 percent of women reported being left out of a scientific study to which they had contributed. In addition, women were more likely than men to claim that discrimination, stereotypes, and bias had been perpetrated against them.
ScienceDaily reports that researchers examined a sizable collection of administrative data from universities for the first time, revealing who was specifically involved in and compensated for a number of research initiatives. According to this survey, women were less likely than men to receive credit at every level of employment. At the beginning of their careers, the disparity was very obvious. For instance, compared to 21 out of 100 graduate male students, only 15 out of 100 female graduate students were ever listed as authors on a document.
According to Julia Lane, a co-author of the study and a professor at New York University, “there is a clear discrepancy between the rate at which women and men are recognized as co-authors on papers.”
“The gap is strong, persistent, and independent of the research field.”
Professor Lane of NYU Wagner and the NYU Center for Urban Science and Progress said, “We have known for a long time that women publish and patent at a lesser rate than men. “
“But because previous data never showed who participated in the research, no one knew why. There were anecdotes — like that of Rosalind Franklin, who was denied authorship in a famous nature article by James Watson and Francis Crick despite correctly demonstrating the double helix structure of DNA — but there was no evidence.”
The study’s findings were supported by additional data sources. According to a survey of more than 2,400 scientists, women and other historically underrepresented groups frequently have to do much more effort in order for their scientific contributions to be acknowledged. Women regularly contribute to research in one way or another, but unless we shout or make a loud point, our contributions are sometimes underappreciated, according to study respondents. It was highlighted by several respondents that foreign-born scientists, women, and minorities may be disproportionately affected by a lack of voice.
To determine who earned credit for individual projects and who did not, the data were connected to authorship information on patents and articles published in scientific journals.
