: This study will investigate research scientists' patterns of decision-making in three areas: Authorship, conflict-of-interest, and self-censorship, or a delay in publications. The purpose of the investigation is to describe and explain the criteria that academic scholars use when confronted with problematic issues that are not fully-covered by Federal, institutional, or professional policies. Elite interviews will be conducted with 104 individuals (full Professors and advanced Doctoral students) in seven public and private """"""""Research 1"""""""" Universities. Individual respondents will be selected from four life-science disciplines: Pharmacology, radiation oncology, neurology, and genetics. The interviews will focus on the respondent's specific research programs, and activities that engender (or have engendered) the need to make decisions in each of the above areas.
