Merton notes that "this pattern of recognition, skewed in favor of the established scientist, appears principally (i) in cases of collaboration and (ii) in cases of independent multiple discoveries made by scientists of distinctly different rank."
Мертон писал: «Такой перекос в признании авторства в пользу признанного учёного имеет место при совместной работе и в случаях когда открытия независимо делали учёные с существенно разным авторитетом» (англ. this pattern of recognition, skewed in favor of the established scientist, appears principally (i) in cases of collaboration and (ii) in cases of independent multiple discoveries made by scientists of distinctly different rank).