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2 years ago in Scholarly Communication By Natasha
I’m leading a multi-institutional project. What are the best practices for determining author order and contributions to avoid conflict later?
Collaboration is exciting, but I’ve seen disputes over authorship sour relationships. As we begin writing our first paper from this project, I want to establish a transparent, fair protocol for assigning credit. What frameworks or conversations are most effective for setting these expectations early on?
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By Bhavya Bakeeru Answered 1 month ago
Based on my experience coordinating several large consortia, the key is a conversation at the start of the writing process, not the end. I recommend adopting a formal contributor roles taxonomy, like CRediT, and having each member draft a statement of their planned contributions. This makes expectations objective. For order, the first and last author positions are usually clear (lead writer and PI/senior lead). The middle order can be tricky; I’ve found that agreeing on a primary criterion—like intellectual contribution level versus hours spent—early on prevents conflict. Document this agreement in a shared file. Revisit it before submission. This proactive, transparent approach isn’t just about ethics; it builds trust and makes the team more productive.
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