Student-faculty joint authorship: Ethical and legal concerns

Although faculty mentoring through joint authorship with students offers benefits to both, the claim of joint authorship of students' works by faculty members may raise ethical and legal concerns. Whether based on institutional policies, faculty members' mandates or suggestions, or even students' invitations, such claims may violate principles of autonomy, fidelity, veracity, and justice. Moreover, such claims may be contrary to basic requirements of copyright law relating to joint authorship and derivative works. Unjustified claims to authorship may have adverse effects on the student-faculty relationship, give rise to professional embarrassment for the individual faculty and the institution, or lead to legal liability. The responsibility to address ethical and legal concerns inherent in such joint authorship rests with the administration and faculty of the individual nursing education department.