This article raises questions about the social, cultural, and political assumptions embedded in the concept of authorship. The discussion occurs within the framework of social-constructionist theories and is based on a feminist critique of science and composition. This critique challenges us to remember that we and our students operate within a culture, that we and our students are located within gendered categories and along class and race lines, and that each of us has a history and a system of beliefs or worldview. Additionally, the author suggests strategies for infusing personal understandings with professional/academic writings.