But when he turned to the citations, expecting to see a reference to his abstract or presentation, his name was nowhere to be found. In addition, scientists who routinely fail to cite the work of others may find themselves excluded from the fellowship of their peers. This consideration is partic ularly important in one of the more intangible aspects of a scientific career-that of building a reputation. Published papers document a person's approach to science, which is why it is important that they be clear, verifiable, and honest. In addition, a researcher who is open, helpful, and full of ideas becomes known to colleagues and will benefit much more than someone who is secretive or uncooperative.
Some people succeed in science despite their reputations.
Many more succeed at least in part because of their reputations. The allocation of credit can also become an issue in the listing of authors' names. Science has become a much more collaborative enterprise than it was in the past. The average number of authors for articles in the New England Journal of Medicine, for example, has risen from slightly more than one in 1925 to more than six today. In some areas, such as high-energy physics or genome sequencing, the number of authors can rise into the hundreds.