In pursuit of sustainable co-authorship practices in doctoral supervision: Addressing the challenges of writing, authorial identity and integrity

ABSTRACT

Developing an authorial voice along with co-authorship practices can be an important pathway towards building one’s professional identity and career. However, challenges may arise when contributors have different expectations about co-authorship conventions and are accountable to different stakeholders. This article aims to explore co-authorship practices between doctoral students and supervisors by drawing on four dimensions that highlight professional challenges across disciplinary and national contexts: 1) supervisors’ writing and co-authorship, 2) strategies and activities to support writing, 3) authorial voice and 4) integrity and (the risk of) plagiarism. The article summarises practices and suggestions for academics and policymakers on how to create and promote an ethical and sustainable approach to co-authorship in supervisory context.

KEYWORDS:

• Co-authorship
• supervision
• doctoral students
• identity
• integrity

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr Lavinia Hirsu for her comments on an earlier version of the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Irina Lokhtina

Irina Lokhtina is a Lecturer in Human Resource Management and Leadership at the University of Central Lancashire, Cyprus. She is a certified trainer of vocational training, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) and co-convenor of the Working Life and Learning Network (ESREA). Research interests focus on workplace learning, academic identity and well-being.

Erika Löfström

Erika Löfström is Professor of Education at the University of Helsinki. She is Chair of the non-medical ethics review board and vice-chair of the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity. Research areas include research ethics and integrity and related learning and supervision processes.

Solveig Cornér

Solveig Cornér is a University teacher at the University of Helsinki and graduated recently with a PhD. Her doctoral dissertation focused on the development of social support practices from a systemic perspective in doctoral education. Research interests focus on well-being, research ethics and integrity and research on doctoral education.

Montserrat Castelló

Montserrat Castelló is Full Professor in Educational Psychology at Ramon Llull University, Barcelona, where she leads the Research Institute of Psychology, Learning and Development. She is co-convenor of the EARLI SIG on Researchers education and Careers. Her research interests focus on academic and research writing, learning and identity.