This series of contributions addresses questions related to order of authorship. We have utilized a Q&A format to discuss these issues. Although there are certainly multiple ways to deal with order of authorship concerns, we see these as some “best practices” for dealing with these issues. Our number one piece of advice: keep the lines of communication open at all times with your collaborators and don’t wait until the “end” to bring up order of authorship order concerns.

Q: How much work is expected of the first, second, and third authors?

A: Generally, order of authorship signifies the contribution each individual has made to a particular article. Due to their particular skill set, some individuals may only assist with analyzing data. Other individuals with a breadth of knowledge in the topic area may primarily contribute to the literature review. Typically, first authors are involved in every part of the article – from conception to completion. There are some occasions when authorship does not correspond with the level of contribution. Therefore, students should address concerns regarding authorship before beginning a project.

Q: What if we can’t decide the order of authorship? Is it acceptable to go by alphabetical order?

A: This is not advised, but it does happen. First, it is highly unfair to go by alphabetical order regardless of the amount of work individual authors have contributed (especially if your name falls at the end of the alphabet). While rare, it is the usual course of action if everyone is at an impasse. In this case, it might be beneficial for you (particularly if you are lower in the order than you believe you should be) to really think about whether it is worth it to you to participate in the project. One situation in which this might be agreed to would be with two collaborators who plan to collaborate often, and both have literally done equal amounts of work. In this instance, you might agree to simply switch off the order, beginning with the first article being in alphabetical order (and then the next is reverse order).

Q: If the order of authorship was decided before the project started, can the order be changed?

A: The order can be changed for many reasons, and this is a rather common occurrence. For example, if a project takes longer than expected, one or more authors may have new priorities that require them to go down in the authorship order. This often happens when students collaborate together, as new research, teaching, or coursework duties may preclude one person from doing the amount of work he or she expected to be able to do. Authorship order might also change if a person does more work than expected (thus moving up in the order), but this would need to be agreed to by all authors on the project. It is important to keep the lines of communication open between all collaborators.

Q: What if I feel like I did more work and I deserve to be first author, but my co-author is a graduate student who is further along in the program and refuses to change the order of authorship?

A: Before commencing work on an article, especially with other graduate students, it is important to have a candid conversation regarding the expectations of each author. It may be helpful to outline these expectations and share them with all the authors participating in the study to hold each other accountable. If there is a concern regarding the workload, it should be addressed at the first meeting before the project commences.

Despite best efforts, however, people sometimes overextend themselves and do not meet previously agreed to expectations. If a co-author begins to wane in their contribution, address the behavior immediately by having a conversation with that co-author on whether he/she is comfortable with the workload for the project. Be empathetic and sensitive to the fact that something may have come up in your colleague’s life that you are unfamiliar with, but is affecting the project nonetheless. The conversation, depending on the outcome, can then lead to a revision in authorship.

If the “worst-case” scenario occurs despite all your efforts to prevent it, there are several options to consider depending on your level of comfort and the climate of your department. You can attempt another meeting with the co-author and bring the expectations everyone agreed to before beginning the project. If the co-author did not meet his/her expectations, try to understand his/her position on why first authorship should be retained. Of course, whenever there is a dispute between students, seeking out the graduate advisor to assist in mediating the conflict is another option. Finally, you can decide to let the authorship stand as is and consider the experience as a “lesson learned” to never work with that co-author again. Take some comfort in that many seasoned academics have likely encountered this situation and move on to more productive relationships with others.

Q: What if I feel like I did more work and I deserve to be first author but my Professor refuses to change the order of authorship?

A: This is a difficult position because ultimately, it is up to the professor. As a graduate student, there is not much you can do about this situation, other than deciding not to work with that professor again. This is why it is important to know authorship order from the beginning and carefully monitor the amount of work you are putting into the project. It also helps to look at the project objectively. In many circles, it is common practice that the person who thought of the idea would be first author; if that was the professor, then it may not matter how much work you do because it was still the professor’s idea (in other words, you would have no project if the professor had not come up with the idea). One way to get around this problem is to approach the professor with an idea and make it clear that you would like to be first author on a collaborative project. In the end, graduate school is about training, and in some cases, this means that you have to take the back seat in authorship but do the bulk of the work. Theoretically, you would be learning new skills (data management or analysis, writing style, or even learning how to ask good questions) and your professor is training you in doing research, though you may not have many first-authored pieces in those situations.

Q: Does it matter whose data it is?

A: Absolutely! At the very least, “owners” of the data must be credited via citation in the article. In addition, if you acquired the data through publically available sites, such as Pew Research Center or the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect, you may need to include a waiver of liability statement in your article such as the following:

The data used in this publication were made available by the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, and have been used with permission. Data from National Juvenile Online Victimization Study (N-JOV2) were originally collected by: Crimes Against Children Research Center, University of New Hampshire. Funding for the project was provided by: US Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The collector(s) of the original data, the funder(s), NDACAN, Cornell University and their agents or employees bear no responsibility for the analyses or interpretations presented here.

Moreover, if the data are from a social services agency, the agency’s director may request to be listed as an author since he/she is providing access to the data. Finally, in the case of using data from a social services agency, it is important to seek agency approval upfront before commencing any projects. Sharing your final draft and allowing the agency to voice any comments and concerns regarding the article will maintain an amicable and productive relationship. Addressing the order of authorship early on can help with these concerns.

-Janne Gaub, Jordana Navarro, and Meredith G. F. Worthen