NIST Administrative Manual, Subchapter 4.09
Transmittal Date - 12/21/93

At NIST, the decision to include a staff member as an author (or not) is usually made at the group level and is based on a truly substantial and professional contribution. Mere administrative supervision of the work is not a sufficient qualification for authorship.
 
 

Authors are identified in a byline on the title page or on the first page of a paper without a cover. The order in which the authors' names appear is decided at the group level; if there is disagreement, the question may be adjudicated by the next-level supervisor.
 
 

The principal contact either is the first-named author or is identified by name (and role, if appropriate) in a footnote.
 
 

The title page of NIST publications must include:
 
 

Name of Authors(s) or Editor(s)
Laboratory or Division
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Technology Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
 
 

For the NIST Journal of Research, and for journal and proceedings papers and other works to be included in non-NIST media, the byline should include:
 
 

Name of Author(s) or Editor(s)
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-0001 (or Boulder, CO 80303)
 
 

In a footnote at the bottom of the first page, cite the following:
 
 

Division or Program, Operating Unit, Technology Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
 
 

See also "Basic Printing Requirements" in Appendix K of this subchapter. For additional information, contact the Publications Production Program, Office of Information Services.
 
 

In nonofficial writing, e.g., an article for a hobby magazine prepared during off-work hours, the byline of NIST authors must not identify their official capacity at NIST. Such publications may indicate the affiliation with NIST by a footnote or other method, but must make clear that the author is writing as an individual and not as a member of the staff of NIST.
 
 

Associates and Guests: Papers written by postdoctoral research associates, guest researchers, and industrial research associates are reviewed and published under the NIST policies and procedures prescribed in this subchapter. The status of associates should be indicated on the title page of their papers or by a footnote of the following form:
 
 

NRC-NAS Postdoctoral
Research Associate, 1989-1990
 
 

or
 
 

Research Associate
XYZ Trade Association
(include years if appropriate)
 
 

Papers by NIST guest researchers collaborating with NIST staff members or producing papers as sole authors should exhibit affiliations of the guest researchers as well as the NIST affiliations.
 
 

Staff members on external assignments: If a paper is written when a NIST staff member is away at another institution on an authorized assignment the NIST author must arrange for NIST review and approval as required by Subchapter 4.09. Papers receiving NIST approval may carry the name of the external institution, the name of NIST, or both, depending upon the wishes of the authors and the other institution. If the official affiliation of the NIST author is not given in the byline, a footnote should give that affiliation and state that the NIST author was at the external institution for the period during which the work was done.
 
 

NIST Alumni: Staff members retired from NIST who wish to publish papers on topics related to their professional experience at NIST may indicate their past affiliation with NIST provided that their papers are submitted to the Editorial Review Board and approved before publication. In such cases, an appropriate byline would be:
 
 

Author's name (retired)
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-0001