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The State of Authorship Attribution Studies: Some Problems and Solutions

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Abstract

The statement, ’’Results of most non-traditional authorship attribution studies are not universally accepted as definitive,'' is explicated. A variety of problems in these studies are listed and discussed: studies governed by expediency; a lack of competent research; flawed statistical techniques; corrupted primary data; lack of expertise in allied fields; a dilettantish approach; inadequate treatment of errors. Various solutions are suggested: construct a correct and complete experimental design; educate the practitioners; study style in its totality; identify and educate the gatekeepers; develop a complete theoretical framework; form an association of practitioners.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213, U.S.A.

    Joseph Rudman

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  1. Joseph Rudman
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Rudman, J. The State of Authorship Attribution Studies: Some Problems and Solutions. Computers and the Humanities 31, 351–365 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1001018624850

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