Western Journal of Nursing Research 2017, Vol. 39(3) 329–355 © The Author(s) 2016 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0193945916651588 journals.sagepub.com/home/wjn Special WJNR Editorial Board Article Strategies to Build Authorship Competence Among PhD Students Vicki S. Conn 1 , Urmeka Jefferson 1 , Marlene Z. Cohen 2 , Cindy M. Anderson 3 , Cheryl M. Killion 4 , Nancy L. Fahrenwald 5 , Lazelle E. Benefield 6 , Marita Titler 7 , Robert Topp 8 , Carol E. Smith 9 , and Julio Loya 1 Abstract Publication in refereed journals is an important responsibility of PhD- prepared nurses. Specialized writing skills are crucial for effective professional publication. The capacity to develop and publish articles is best learned during doctoral education. This Western Journal of Nursing Research Editorial Board Special Article addresses multi-dimensional strategies to develop authorship competence among doctoral students. The article outlines structured PhD program experiences to provide the context for students to develop authorship capacity. The authors identify multi-faceted faculty endeavors and student activities that are essential to foster authorship competence. Students who embrace opportunities to acquire authorship qualifications will be well prepared for their post-graduation role as stewards of the nursing discipline. 1 University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA 2 University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA 3 The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA 4 Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA 5 South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD, USA 6 University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA 7 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA 8 University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA 9 University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA Corresponding Author: Vicki S. Conn, S317 School of Nursing, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. Email: conn@missouri.edu 651588WJN XX X 10.1177/0193945916651588Western Journal of Nursing ResearchConn et al. research-article 2016