How to write and publish a scientific paper - Barbara Gastel, Robert A. Day 2022

Proper and consistent form
How to list the authors and addresses
Preparing the text

As to names of authors, the preferred designation for English-language names normally is given name, middle initial, surname (if an author indeed has a middle initial). If an author uses only initials, which has been a regrettable tendency in science, the scientific literature may become confused.

If there are two people named Janet B. Jones, the literature services can probably keep them straight (by their addresses). But if dozens of people published under the name J. B. Jones (especially if, on occasion, some of them use Janet B. Jones), the retrieval services have a hopeless task in keeping things neat and tidy. Many scientists decide not to change their names (for example, after marriage), at least in part to avoid confusion in the literature.

Instead of given name, middle initial, and surname, wouldn’t it be better to spell out the middle name? No. Again, we must realize that literature retrieval is a computerized process, and computers can be easily confused. An author with a common name (for example, Robert Jones) might be tempted to spell out his or her middle name, thinking that Robert Smith Jones is more distinctive than Robert S. Jones. However, the resulting double name is a problem. Should the computer index the author as “Jones” or “Smith Jones”? Because double names, with or without hyphens, are common, especially in England and in Latin America, this problem is not an easy one for computers (or for their programmers).

Knowing how to list one’s name on an English-language scientific paper can be difficult for international authors, as different languages have different formats for names and more than one form of transliteration can exist. For authors with Chinese names, an article by Sun and Zhou (2002) offers recommendations. And for authors of a variety of national origins, style manuals can provide guidance, as can editors at journals. Whatever format a scientist chooses, they should use it consistently in English-language scientific papers—rather than, for example, using Shou-Chu Qian on some papers, Shouchu Qian on others, and S. Chien on still others.

In general, scientific journals do not print degrees after authors’ names and do not include titles such as Dr. (You may know what “B.S.” means. “M.S.” is “More of the Same.” “Ph.D.” is “Piled Higher and Deeper.” “M.D.” is “Much Deeper.”) However, most medical journals do list degrees after the names. Even in medical journals, however, degrees are not given in the references. Contributors should consult the journal’s instructions to authors or a recent issue regarding preferred usage.