I was taken by a Correspondence in Nature the other week, in which Daniel C. Postellon of the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital, Michigan, write (Nature 452, 282; 2008):
The career of the non-existent author Ann Arbor is well-known to connoisseurs of computerized databases and citation indexes. Usually listed as the last author, she is sometimes credited with the academic degree "MI". Ann is not actually a person, but the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan, home of the University of Michigan. Her 'degree' is a misinterpretation of the abbreviation for Michigan: MI. She pre-dates online computerized databases, and was often listed in the paper edition of Index Medicus.
Ms Arbor now has a UK rival in the team of Walton Hall and Milton Keynes. Like her, they are usually listed as last authors. The online database Google Scholar lists them as co-authors of 46 publications, in addition to their solo work. Walton Hall is actually a building on the campus of the Open University in Milton Keynes. These 'authors' have a useful role to play: they can be used to check the accuracy of the databases and indexes.
I sent this letter to Dave Lull, who replied that the story reminded him of the dictionary trap,when the editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary deliberately inserted a false entry in their dictionary. "The New Oxford American's entry for "esquivalience" defines it as "the willful avoidance of one's official responsibilities; the shirking of duties," as in, "After three subordinates attested to his esquivalience, Lieutenant Claiborne was dismissed." The word's etymology is traced to the late 19th Century, "perhaps from French esquiver, `dodge, slink away.'" But while "esquiver" is a real French word, "esquivalience" is an invention." Lots more nice detail at the link provided.
The career of the non-existent author Ann Arbor is well-known to connoisseurs of computerized databases and citation indexes. Usually listed as the last author, she is sometimes credited with the academic degree "MI". Ann is not actually a person, but the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan, home of the University of Michigan. Her 'degree' is a misinterpretation of the abbreviation for Michigan: MI. She pre-dates online computerized databases, and was often listed in the paper edition of Index Medicus.
Ms Arbor now has a UK rival in the team of Walton Hall and Milton Keynes. Like her, they are usually listed as last authors. The online database Google Scholar lists them as co-authors of 46 publications, in addition to their solo work. Walton Hall is actually a building on the campus of the Open University in Milton Keynes. These 'authors' have a useful role to play: they can be used to check the accuracy of the databases and indexes.
I sent this letter to Dave Lull, who replied that the story reminded him of the dictionary trap,when the editors of the New Oxford American Dictionary deliberately inserted a false entry in their dictionary. "The New Oxford American's entry for "esquivalience" defines it as "the willful avoidance of one's official responsibilities; the shirking of duties," as in, "After three subordinates attested to his esquivalience, Lieutenant Claiborne was dismissed." The word's etymology is traced to the late 19th Century, "perhaps from French esquiver, `dodge, slink away.'" But while "esquiver" is a real French word, "esquivalience" is an invention." Lots more nice detail at the link provided.
Milton Keynes wasn't he the economist? ;O)
Posted by: Norm | 17 April 2008 at 22:45
Ah, that's who he was. And now I recall that Walton Hall was a character in the long-running, family-saga TV series.
Posted by: Maxine | 18 April 2008 at 08:38
Actually, the economist is John Maynard Keynes. I later found out that there is a building called Walton Hall, and a political sucdivision of Milton Keynes, also called Walton Hall.
Posted by: Daniel | 10 May 2008 at 19:26
Thanks, Daniel, for your comment. Just to note, Norm (I am sure) and I (for sure) do know who John Maynard Keynes is, we were just joshing a little;-)
Posted by: Maxine | 10 May 2008 at 19:55