Who is the Author: Introduction

Understanding the variety of 'authors' involved in producing documents is important. The idea of an 'author' in some circumstances may be much broader than a single individual writer. Many companies and public organisations produce material which may be cited. Referencing an author therefore not only enables the reader to find the original source, but acknowledges the ideas that belong to that person. Sometimes this intellectual property, as it is called, has legal and financial and ethical implications too.