Racking up journal articles is an important part of being scientist, especially for those early in their careers. Ms. PhD at YoungFemaleScientist says that when she sometimes asks up front if the work she will be doing on a project will lead her to be an author, she's told that she is being greedy. DrugMonkey picks up on her post. "When someone tells you that you are being too demanding or otherwise socially awkward for bringing up authorship, I am very suspicious that they are trying to hose you for their own interests. Nobody should be embarrassed to discuss authorship in collaborations or long-term mentoring associations. It is just too important," Drug Monkey says.