Sir

A recent leading article (Nature 387, 831; 831; 1997) raises the question whether authorship should be redefined. I think it should: readers should know who is really responsible for published research results.

As things stand, researchers need to publish as many articles as possible and this leads to multi-authorship, gift authorship and ‘salami’ tactics. Journals prescribe how to submit a manuscript, so why not prescribe correct authorship?

In more than 25 years working as a scientific editor (in geology, nuclear energy and technology) and in national and international editorial organizations, I have not been aware of any valid argument for more than three authors per paper, although I recognize that this may not be true for every field.

Perhaps scientific journals and international organizations could take the lead. If journals were to instruct authors that manuscripts with more than three authors would not normally be considered for publication, there would soon be a drop in the number of pseudo-authors.

A. J. van Loon R&D Text Consulting, PO Box 336, 6860 AH Oosterbeek, The Netherlands