genetic text–a text revealing the development of authoritative forms of the work. An operative definition of authority is necessary to determine what a genetic text will or should include. For example, a genetic text that includes all variants from all documents in the development of a work is implementing a documentary definition of authority. A genetic text, on the other hand, that implements an authorial definition of authority will omit from the record of genesis any textual material that did not originate with or receive the sanction of the author, unless such nonauthoritative matters impinged upon the author’s consciousness, influencing other alterations that the author did make.