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Joint authorship is a form of collaboration where two or more authors contribute to a single work and share the credit and responsibility for it. However, joint authorship also entails legal and ethical implications that co-authors should be aware of and agree upon before engaging in such a partnership. In this section, we will explore some of the main issues and challenges that co-authors may face, such as:
- How to determine the order and proportion of authorship
- How to deal with intellectual property rights and ownership of the work
- How to handle disputes and conflicts among co-authors
- How to ensure the quality and integrity of the work
- How to comply with the ethical standards and guidelines of the relevant field and institution
We will also provide some tips and best practices for co-authors to follow in order to avoid or resolve these problems and ensure a successful and harmonious collaboration.
1. Determining the order and proportion of authorship: One of the most common and contentious issues among co-authors is how to decide who gets to be the first, second, third, or last author of a joint work, and what percentage of contribution each author has made. Different disciplines and journals may have different conventions and criteria for authorship order, such as alphabetical order, seniority, contribution level, or corresponding authorship. However, these conventions may not always reflect the actual roles and responsibilities of each co-author, and may lead to unfair or inaccurate attribution of credit. Therefore, co-authors should discuss and agree on the authorship order and proportion as early as possible in the collaboration process, and document their agreement in writing. They should also be transparent and honest about their contributions, and acknowledge any changes or adjustments that may occur during the course of the project. Some examples of factors that may affect the authorship order and proportion are:
- The original idea or concept of the work
- The design and methodology of the research
- The collection and analysis of the data
- The writing and editing of the manuscript
- The revision and submission of the work
- The communication and coordination with other co-authors, editors, reviewers, and funders
2. Dealing with intellectual property rights and ownership of the work: Another important issue that co-authors should consider is how to protect and manage the intellectual property rights and ownership of their joint work. Intellectual property rights are the legal rights that grant the creators of a work the exclusive right to use, reproduce, distribute, modify, or license their work. Ownership of the work refers to the legal title or claim that the creators have over their work. Co-authors should be aware that joint authorship may affect their intellectual property rights and ownership of the work, depending on the nature and scope of their collaboration, the type and format of the work, and the applicable laws and regulations of their country or region. For instance, some works may be considered as joint works, where co-authors share equal and undivided rights and ownership of the work, while others may be considered as collective works, where co-authors retain individual rights and ownership of their respective parts of the work. Co-authors should also be aware that some works may be subject to contractual agreements or obligations that may limit or transfer their rights and ownership to a third party, such as an employer, a funder, a publisher, or a licensee. Therefore, co-authors should consult with a legal expert or a relevant authority before engaging in joint authorship, and clarify and document their intellectual property rights and ownership of the work in a written contract or agreement. They should also respect and abide by the terms and conditions of their contract or agreement, and seek permission or consent from their co-authors or other parties before using, reproducing, distributing, modifying, or licensing their work.
3. Handling disputes and conflicts among co-authors: A third issue that co-authors may encounter is how to handle disputes and conflicts that may arise among them during or after the collaboration process. Disputes and conflicts among co-authors may stem from various sources, such as:
- Miscommunication or misunderstanding of the goals, expectations, roles, and responsibilities of each co-author
- Disagreement or dissatisfaction with the authorship order, proportion, or attribution of the work
- Discrepancy or inconsistency in the quality, quantity, or timeliness of the contributions of each co-author
- Breach or violation of the intellectual property rights, ownership, or contract of the work
- Misconduct or malpractice in the research or publication of the work, such as plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, or duplication
Disputes and conflicts among co-authors may have negative consequences for the co-authors themselves, such as:
- Loss of trust, respect, or reputation among co-authors or peers
- Delay, cancellation, or withdrawal of the work
- Legal action or penalty for infringement or breach of contract
- Retraction or correction of the work
- Sanction or discipline by the institution or authority
Therefore, co-authors should try to prevent or minimize disputes and conflicts among them by following some of the tips and best practices mentioned above, such as:
- Communicating and coordinating effectively and regularly with their co-authors
- Discussing and agreeing on the authorship and intellectual property issues in advance and in writing
- Being transparent and honest about their contributions and expectations
- Respecting and acknowledging the contributions and rights of their co-authors and other parties
- Adhering to the ethical standards and guidelines of their field and institution
However, if disputes and conflicts do occur, co-authors should try to resolve them amicably and constructively by:
- Listening and understanding the perspectives and concerns of their co-authors
- Negotiating and compromising on a fair and reasonable solution
- Seeking mediation or arbitration from a neutral or trusted third party, such as a senior colleague, a mentor, an editor, or an ombudsperson
- Escalating the issue to a higher or formal authority, such as a department head, a dean, a committee, or a court, only as a last resort
4. Ensuring the quality and integrity of the work: A fourth issue that co-authors should pay attention to is how to ensure the quality and integrity of their joint work. Quality and integrity of the work refer to the extent to which the work meets the standards and expectations of the field and the audience, and reflects the honesty and accuracy of the research and publication process. Co-authors should strive to produce high-quality and high-integrity work that is:
- Original and novel, meaning that the work adds new or significant knowledge or value to the field or the society
- Rigorous and reliable, meaning that the work follows a sound and appropriate design and methodology, and produces valid and reproducible results and conclusions
- Clear and coherent, meaning that the work is well-written and well-structured, and uses consistent and correct language, style, and format
- Comprehensive and complete, meaning that the work covers all the relevant and important aspects and details of the research and publication process, and provides sufficient and accurate information and documentation
- Ethical and responsible, meaning that the work complies with the ethical principles and guidelines of the field and the institution, and respects the rights and interests of the co-authors, the participants, the funders, the publishers, and the public
Co-authors should ensure the quality and integrity of their work by:
- Conducting a thorough and critical review of the literature and the existing knowledge on the topic
- Developing a clear and feasible research question, hypothesis, or objective
- Choosing a suitable and robust research design and methodology
- collecting and analyzing the data in a rigorous and transparent manner
- Reporting and interpreting the results and conclusions in an honest and objective way
- Writing and editing the manuscript in a clear and coherent way
- Citing and referencing the sources and the contributions of others in a proper and consistent way
- Seeking and incorporating the feedback and suggestions of their co-authors, peers, editors, and reviewers
- Revising and improving the work based on the feedback and suggestions
- Submitting and publishing the work in a reputable and relevant journal or platform
5. Complying with the ethical standards and guidelines of the field and institution: A fifth issue that co-authors should adhere to is how to comply with the ethical standards and guidelines of the field and institution that govern the research and publication process. Ethical standards and guidelines are the rules and principles that define the acceptable and unacceptable conduct and practice of the researchers and authors in a given field or institution. Ethical standards and guidelines may vary depending on the discipline, the topic, the context, and the culture of the research and publication process, but they generally aim to protect and promote the:
- Quality and integrity of the work
- Rights and interests of the co-authors, the participants, the funders, the publishers, and the public
- Welfare and safety of the human and animal subjects involved in the research
- Privacy and confidentiality of the personal and sensitive information collected or used in the research
- Fairness and justice of the recognition and reward of the contributions and achievements of the co-authors and others
Co-authors should comply with the ethical standards and guidelines of the field and institution by:
- Being familiar and updated with the relevant and applicable ethical standards and guidelines of their field and institution
- Obtaining the necessary approval, permission, or consent from the appropriate authority, such as an ethics committee, a review board, a funder, a publisher, or a participant, before conducting or publishing