What is a scientific article? A principal-agent explanation.

What is a scientific article? This paper proposes that the scientific article can be understood the main unit in a piece-rate system that solves research patrons' problems of fairly evaluating and paying scientists. It is a solution for the evaluation of science given information asymmetries between lay people and scientists. To elucidate a definition in keeping with the principal-agent approach, this paper extends both former explanations of the research article and proposals of publications as attestations to science patrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]