publications - What should I do if my advisor insists on being first author, in violation of my field's conventions?

My advisor obligate me to put her name first author name in my publication. What are the possible pros and cons of this order? What should I do if my advisor insists on being first author, in violation of my field's conventions? My field is IT.

Answer

I have unfortunately seen these kinds of shenanigans before, so: know you are not alone, whatever cold comfort that may be.

This situation has no "pro," and has the following significant "con:" you are not getting the credit you deserve for your work. In fields where author lists are not ordered alphabetically, order is used to signify the author's contributions to the paper, and first-author papers are much more important for things like hiring and promotions.

I suggest the following steps.

1. Talk to your advisor

Maybe this is just a misunderstanding, or there are other variables in play you're not aware of (unlikely, but possible - see this question). Have a conversation with your advisor to see if you can clear this up.

Here's your opener:

I thought that in IT, usually the student who did most of the work is the first author and the advisor is the last - this is the case in all the papers I have read. Why do you propose a different order?

2. Run, don't walk

This behavior is typically an indication that either

• your advisor is completely unaware of conventions in your field (charitable interpretation), or


• your advisor is aware of the authorship conventions and is deliberately violating them to your disadvantage, which is extremely unethical behavior.

In either case, this means that your advisor is simply unsuitable to be an advisor, to anyone, and you should find another one as soon as humanly possible.

3. If all else fails

If you are stuck with this advisor for some reason¹, be prepared for a very bumpy ride. This is not likely to be the last stunt he/she pulls.

However, you can at least try to argue your case: there is some advice on the subject here, although that question does not specifically address the case where the advisor is demanding first authorship for him/herself.

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¹This site is full of students who insist on staying with a completely unsuitable advisor, for one reason or another. I suspect Stockholm syndrome.