Professor wants to co-author « Sociology Job Market Rumors

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OP: 17 Goods vs 2 No Goods
Thread: 370 Goods vs 136 No Goods

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Professor wants to co-author

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Sociologist
04f6

I will start by saying that I'm a first year grad student so I know about as much as John Snow. However, I shared a draft of a paper with a professor and I must say I'm pretty excited abut the research. He seemed very interested and got back to me with questions after a few days and now he said he'll be happy to co-author since it's my first paper and I could use some help. I'm uncertain since I have already collected and analyzed the first half of the data and I've been working on the project by myself for the past two months. I have no idea how to interpret this - is the professor really trying to help a clueless first-year, or am I really onto something and he wants credit for it? I'm equally afraid of turning down useful help and of being that useless co-author of known professor on my own research.

Thanks

8 months ago # QUOTE 17 GOOD 2 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
3659

it's good to coauthor

8 months ago # QUOTE 19 GOOD 4 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
44d8

Ask some older grad students in your program about the reputation of this professor. Tell them this story and find out about this professor's history with other students.

8 months ago # QUOTE 53 GOOD 2 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
329c

I don't love the idea of being a co-author on your own research, unless you think working with this professor will significantly help the placement of the eventual publication. Perhaps agree to this if the professor is to be second author, but not if the professor wants to be first author.

8 months ago # QUOTE 20 GOOD 6 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
752a

I did this with my first couple journal articles. The professor's help was invaluable. They helped me transform my writing and presentation of the literature/data from a class paper to a journal article that could withstand peer review. That said, you should remain the first author since the ideas and data are yours.

8 months ago # QUOTE 41 GOOD 7 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
3d1d

The professor’s job is to let you co-author on his projects and to help you publish your own work, not to piggyback on your work. Check this person’s cv and reputation before you agree to this.

8 months ago # QUOTE 11 GOOD 15 NO GOOD !
outkast
Rep: -832

Assume the position

8 months ago # QUOTE 9 GOOD 2 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
24c4

In my opinion, it’s worth it to have a coauthor jump on to your first publication if it means it gets out faster. Then you have experience and a model to get a bunch out there. My friends who declined an offer like yours ended up with one publication that finally got placed in their fifth year. I agreed and ended up with multiple by my fifth year because I was able to move onto the next paper.

8 months ago # QUOTE 8 GOOD 3 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
42c8

QUOTE:
I don't love the idea of being a co-author on your own research, unless you think working with this professor will significantly help the placement of the eventual publication. Perhaps agree to this if the professor is to be second author, but not if the professor wants to be first author.
UNQUOTE:

My RESPONSE:
I am a full prof at a highly ranked soc dept. I would never ask to co-author with a student who already had done some work, let alone half. It is the professor's job to help you learn and publish. They can do that job without signing on as a co-author. If they want to co-author with you it should be on work they initiate, not work you initiate.

Take the good advice people are giving you and check with other students about this prof's rep.

Also, don't fall for the "You can be first author" trick. A substantial proportion of faculty assume that if a professor is second author it is still the professor's work; they assume the prof was just being nice. If it is really your idea, the only way to make that stick is to be sole author.

8 months ago # QUOTE 34 GOOD 8 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
2eae

I would thank the professor and say that you are working toward your first sole authored publication.
A sole authored at a level 2 journal is better than a co authored at 2+ journal.
I had this experience - the professor also tried to submit an abstract with both our names to a conference. I had to be pretty firm to maintain boundaries. It was stressful but this is the business - you need to stand up for yourself. Don't get sucked in to this. See it as a learning experience of navigating co authorship.
I also second what others are saying - now that I'm faculty I would not try to hustle onto a student's paper.

8 months ago # QUOTE 7 GOOD 4 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
3659

I would start a long a productive coauthoring relationship. You need a solo piece to get a job probably, but it doesnt have to be this one.

8 months ago # QUOTE 10 GOOD 3 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
68b3

Ask another prof their advice without impugning this prof. Just whether it’s more important for you to have a solo authored pub or get it out faster. They’ll use this prof’s rep when they weigh in, without telling you about that part if it’s negative.

The circumstance where the offer isn’t shady is it your paper needs a LOT of work

8 months ago # QUOTE 3 GOOD 2 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
15eb

Yes, it’s definitely a red flag. You’re wise to question it - had I been in your shoes I’d likely have jumped at the chance, all star struck.

I raise an eye brow whenever *anyone* proposes a project really quickly. If this professor is at the top of their game, they would have a lot going on as it is- and arguably would want to reflect on the commitment first.
In my reading of your post, to just initiate publication projects on a whim, in the body of a response email is questionable. This does not necessarily imply that his motivations are questionable- more likely an indicator that he’s on the impulsive side.

Good for you for knowing your project’s value and the work you’ve put into it, I’m hopeful for the future!

8 months ago # QUOTE 4 GOOD 5 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
e5d3

Second what others say about checking the profs reputation. If the Prof has a good reputation you could ask them to be second author. You will lose some of the credit, but publishing is really hard and going through it once with someone who knows the ropes can save you a lot of time and frustration.

8 months ago # QUOTE 9 GOOD 1 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
7762

Good advice to check on this professor’s reputation for co-authoring. Not all co-authors are created equal. At my department, there are professors who offer grad students co-authorship on projects that are already in motion, guiding students through the publication process so they can then go off and do the process better when it’s their dissertation research. And then there is that one professor who sees grad student work and says co-authoring with him will increase the placement, speed up the process, and improve the paper. And then he promptly turns around and does nothing. Find the former and avoid the latter.

8 months ago # QUOTE 5 GOOD 2 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
b335

Co-authoring? Doesn’t he understand we are in the humanities?

8 months ago # QUOTE 3 GOOD 3 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
15eb

The best thing the prof could do in this case would be to offer advise the student about publishing - to settle for a thank you in the acknowledgments, not take credit in the student’s project (or take over the wheel when OP is clearly in the driver’s seat. It would be totally different if OP invited the prof to co-author, but he didn’t. The prof should know that it’s a greater achievement for the student to be sole author anyway, anyone can co-author with faculty.

8 months ago # QUOTE 8 GOOD 6 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
5134

A lot of the posts here are good advice providing you have a sole-publishable paper. But if not, it’s not.

I had a professor tell me I might publish a term paper for her class. I did, with her as second author. It was a win win and could never have done that paper alone. Her methodological expertise was an absolute necessity. We published it in a top general journal.

Maybe the professor is throwing you a bone.

8 months ago # QUOTE 11 GOOD 2 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
15eb

^ did she tell you that you needed her help to do it (and invite herself)? Or did you initiate?

8 months ago # QUOTE 1 GOOD 2 NO GOOD !
Sociologist
e56e

Is your professor Amy Milfkins?

8 months ago # QUOTE 2 GOOD 8 NO GOOD !

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