In my university, almost all professors do it. All articles produced here have several names in them, but are actually made by just 1 or 2 people. Also, professors force us into putting their names in our publications even when they don't even give any guidance. Everyone around thinks that this system is normal and will force newcomers into it.
this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2026
197 points (98.5% liked)
Science Memes
20944 readers
270 users here now
Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!
A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.
Rules
- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
- Keep it rooted (on topic).
- No spam.
- Infographics welcome, get schooled.
Research Committee
Other Mander Communities
Science and Research
Biology and Life Sciences
- !abiogenesis@mander.xyz
- !animal-behavior@mander.xyz
- !anthropology@mander.xyz
- !arachnology@mander.xyz
- !balconygardening@slrpnk.net
- !biodiversity@mander.xyz
- !biology@mander.xyz
- !biophysics@mander.xyz
- !botany@mander.xyz
- !ecology@mander.xyz
- !entomology@mander.xyz
- !fermentation@mander.xyz
- !herpetology@mander.xyz
- !houseplants@mander.xyz
- !medicine@mander.xyz
- !microscopy@mander.xyz
- !mycology@mander.xyz
- !nudibranchs@mander.xyz
- !nutrition@mander.xyz
- !palaeoecology@mander.xyz
- !palaeontology@mander.xyz
- !photosynthesis@mander.xyz
- !plantid@mander.xyz
- !plants@mander.xyz
- !reptiles and amphibians@mander.xyz
Physical Sciences
- !astronomy@mander.xyz
- !chemistry@mander.xyz
- !earthscience@mander.xyz
- !geography@mander.xyz
- !geospatial@mander.xyz
- !nuclear@mander.xyz
- !physics@mander.xyz
- !quantum-computing@mander.xyz
- !spectroscopy@mander.xyz
Humanities and Social Sciences
Practical and Applied Sciences
- !exercise-and sports-science@mander.xyz
- !gardening@mander.xyz
- !self sufficiency@mander.xyz
- !soilscience@slrpnk.net
- !terrariums@mander.xyz
- !timelapse@mander.xyz
Memes
Miscellaneous
founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
What are the repercussions if you refuse?
You get ostracized, will lose any scholarship you have and likely won't even finish the course. These days, it got even worse, because a lot of courses are adding a FORMAL REQUIREMENT to have the names of your supervisors in ANY publications you make related to your work while you're in the course, or you won't get your diploma.
I wanna downvote what you’re saying … but like not you for sharing the information.
That’s super lame dude
Your university sounds like a dangerous place to learn.
Welcome to Brazil. Everything is dangerous, but at least the food is really good.
Hmm. Now that you mention it the food does sound nice...
For my masters thesis project I was told on day one with all the other students that we would not get to publish a paper on the research and that the research supported PhD students and professors research. And that we would , and I quote, "need to get over it".
However, I noticed multiple times that PhD publications had 3 supervisors listed. When only one was the actual one student's supervisor. The others weren't even in the same area at all.
They were all 3 on every PhD paper published from that department. Always.
Yet the masters students who did all the experiments were not allowed to be included on the publications.
It was a weird setup because the masters students ran the PhD students experiments.
We did all the grunt work !
I personally ran over 40 participants that did two sessions one week apart. And probably another 20-30 that never showed up for their 2nd session. (1 hr sessions).
It's like. Whatever. If they don't want to put our many names on the paper they could at least mention us in the acknowledgement. And it seemed unfair that we, who did the work were forbidden from being in the papers, but 2 other professors who had nothing to do with the projects were always added.
Idk. I thought it was sketchy AF. But I hear this sort of thing is common.
It's much more common than it should be, but that is still rather on the extreme end, not normal, and extremely unethical behaviour on their part. I'm sorry that happened to you.
I'm in a PhD program now at a different university. I definitely don't get a team of masters students to run all my experiments for me.
That sure would have been nice. But also I feel like, I should be doing the work. Nothing wrong with a little help from a volunteer assistant but that's different than being assigned 4 masters students to run all of your experiments.
My masters was in the UK. (I'm American). I don't know if that's a normal set up over there or was unusual for UK too.
It's like this in romania too.
One of my friends was supposed to do group research with like 3 other people.
He did research and wrote some articles or whatever you science guys call those. But he could finish by himself.
In the end the whole project failed because he was the only one that did ANYTHING. The others weren't even responding.
Have you noticed how easy it is to get published when you have some well known established people in the author list? Surely that is just coincidence... Right?