How do you view the acknowledgements section of your academic paper? A polite postscript that needs to be quickly filled? Or an opportunity to recognise the diversity of contributors to your team science effort?
Give each person the recognition they deserve
Imagine you need to undergo an operation under anaesthesia, and afterwards, you have to remain in hospital for a few days. And then, when you get home, you only tell your friends and family how wonderful the surgeon was. They played a key role, but that was only possible thanks to the fantastic team who cared for you from the moment you entered the hospital to the second you left it: cleaners, administrators, reception staff, nurses, operating theatre assistant, the anaesthetist and whoever else might be relevant to add to the list. Each played their part, and each should receive the recognition they deserve. Who helped you perform the groundbreaking research operation if you’re the surgeon?
Acknowledgments make progress transparent
Scientific breakthroughs are never solo endeavours. They’re a team science effort, and then I’m not just thinking about multidisciplinary, transdisciplinary or interdisciplinary. What about the technicians and other support staff, the input from your communication department or grant office, external advisers, et cetera? Failing to mention them, where relevant, is not just a sign of discourteousness but also a lack of transparency about how scientific progress is made.
Ensure nobody falls by the wayside
Contributions differ in size and merit; some could easily fall by the wayside. So think carefully about how you portray the value of each non-author involved in your research without presenting an endless list that includes the laboratory cat. Reflect on those who sparked your ideas, offered fresh perspectives or challenged your thinking.
Honour people by using their names
Avoid vague acknowledgements and be specific. For example, instead of “We thank our colleagues”, state, “We thank Dr Anastasia Chymrev for improving the specificity of our statistical analysis.”
Be inclusive in your recognition
Carefully consider how you acknowledge easily overlooked groups, such as indigenous knowledge, community stakeholders, or student assistants.
Take the broader view
Your research was not confined to your institute’s walls, so take the broader view. For instance, were there contributions from citizen science, did you use open-source tools, did you benefit from collaborative platforms or was your research shaped by external experts who gave critical insights?
Key takeaways
- Acknowledgments are not a footnote. They’re the heartbeat of team science.
- Remember that recognition is an act of respect but also a sign of transparency.
- State people’s names, be specific and honour every contribution.
- Scientific progress is a team science effort. So motivate your team by ensuring everyone enjoys the limelight.
Reach out
Acknowledgements are just one thing that AI tools for researcher paper writing might overlook.
If you’ve thought of using your Acknowledgements to highlight team science contributions, you’ll want to get the rest of your research paper spot on, too.
At The Golden Thread, we go beyond AI and give your research paper the final human editing touch.
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