Dragon Kill Points: applying a transparent working template to relieve authorship stress
摘要
Classifying and ranking academic authorship lists is complex in practice, despite existing frameworks, and can lead to conflict. We propose Dragon Kill Points, adapted from multiplayer gaming, to track contributions throughout a project’s lifecycle. Dragon Kill Points is based on five principles: granularity, responsibility, equity, autonomy, and transparency (GREAT). These ensure detailed task records, clear criteria, equitable rules, contributor flexibility, and shared documentation. By applying Dragon Kill Points, teams can reduce disputes, promote inclusivity, and recognise all contributions, including middle authorship. This scalable system offers a practical solution for managing authorship in collaborative research.