The number of authors per academic paper is increasing over time

the verdict

SUPPORTED

the evidence backs this

Recorded sources

3 sources for · 0 against

Counts group repeated records of the same source within each side. They do not measure evidence strength or source independence.

Is it true that the number of authors per academic paper is increasing over time?

Yes. Empirical bibliometric evidence across multiple academic disciplines consistently shows that the average number of authors per research paper has grown significantly over time as collaborative teams become more prevalent.

Verdict: SUPPORTED · 3 sources for, 0 against · Last checked 4 Aug 2026

The analysis

The claim is specific, empirical, and well-supported by multiple bibliometric studies showing an upward trend in authorship counts and team sizes across different scientific fields.

Evidence for · 3

Team Size and Its Negative Impact on the Disruption Index

2025

Discusses the broad transition of science from lone researchers to larger collaborative teams over time.

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Lin, Y., Li, L., & Wu, L. (2025). Team Size and Its Negative Impact on the Disruption Index. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2502.00219

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More for · 2

The expansion of team size in library and information science (LIS): Is bigger always better?

2023

Documents a continuous growth in average team and author size within library and information science publications.

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Tang, X., Shi, W., Wu, R., & Li, S. (2023). The expansion of team size in library and information science (LIS): Is bigger always better?. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1177/01655515231204800

The Bibliometric Evolution of Neurosurgery Publications From 1977 to 2023.

2025

Demonstrates through a longitudinal bibliometric analysis that the mean authorship count per publication significantly and exponentially increased over decades.

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MM, C., SF, M., D, K., KL, S., B, R., M, M., J, D., M, S., & CA, B. (2025). The Bibliometric Evolution of Neurosurgery Publications From 1977 to 2023.. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1227/neuprac.0000000000000128

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What does the evidence say?

The claim is specific, empirical, and well-supported by multiple bibliometric studies showing an upward trend in authorship counts and team sizes across different scientific fields.

Receipt History

first checked04 Aug 2026

judged → SUPPORTED · 8004 Aug 2026

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