code: def get_pub_id(title, authors, year):
      "construct publication id"
      if len(title.split(' ')) > 1 \
         and title.split(' ')[0].lower() in ['the', 'a']:
          _first_word = title.split(' ')[1].split('_')[0]
      else:
          _first_word = title.split(' ')[0].split('_')[0]
  
      pub_id = authors[0].split(',')[0].split(' ')[0] + \
          _first_word + \
          str(year)
      return pub_if get_pub_id(title, authors, year):
      "construct publication id"
      if len(title.split(' ')) > 1 \
         and title.split(' ')[0].lower() in ['the', 'a']:
          _first_word = title.split(' ')[1].split('_')[0]
      else:
          _first_word = title.split(' ')[0].split('_')[0]
  
      pub_id = authors[0].split(',')[0].split(' ')[0] + \
          _first_word + \
          str(year)
      return pub_id
docs: construct publication id