Let’s amend the publishing standards to include a {} trailing every sentence, indicating which author’s contribution it was.{Targz} If that sentence is referenced, then the curly brace will indicate who decided to read and quote the paper; the original author of that paper should still be cited appropriately to the publishing standard (IEEE, etc.){Targz} While this may seem cumbersome, it sufficiently addresses the notion that “Authorship order makes for fraught debates in academia”[1]{Targz} by making clear whose contribution is whom’s. {Targz}

Anything less would be uncivilized.[2]{Targz}

1. Demaine, Erik & Demaine, Martin. (2023). Every Author as First Author.
2. Barkley, Charles. (1994). Right Guard. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eXce26k-leU