Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41606602›Full record

ReviewBMC biology2026

Dragon Kill Points: applying a transparent working template to relieve authorship stress.

April Robin Martinig, Spenser L P Burk, Szymon M Drobniak, Isabella Perry, Kyle Morrison, Megan Petersohn, Patrice Pottier, Shinichi Nakagawa, Pietro Pollo, Lorenzo Ricolfi and 9 more

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in BMC biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

April Robin MartinigThe Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada. aprilmartinig@hotmail.com.
Spenser L P Burk, Unaffiliated, Calgary, Canada.
Szymon M DrobniakEvolution & Ecology Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Isabella PerryThe Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
Kyle MorrisonEvolution & Ecology Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Megan PetersohnThe Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
Patrice PottierEvolution & Ecology Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Shinichi NakagawaEvolution & Ecology Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Pietro PolloEvolution & Ecology Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Lorenzo RicolfiEvolution & Ecology Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Coralie WilliamsEvolution & Ecology Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Ayumi MizunoDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Aimee ChhenThe Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
Jesse TamEvolution & Ecology Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Yefeng YangEvolution & Ecology Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Julia de JongDepartment of English, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
Alberto CeccacciDepartment of Economics, Philosophy and Political Science, I.K. Barber Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, The University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
Sandra CuadrosThe Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada.
Malgorzata LagiszEvolution & Ecology Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

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.

Indexed as

AuthorshipPublishingAcademiaAccountabilityCoauthorshipCollaborativeContributorshipCreditPublishing

Identifiers

PMID41606602
PMCPMC12924437

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.