An issue that comes up from time to time with submissions made to the Engineering Archive is what happens if one of the co-authors on a paper finds out later that it was submitted without their knowledge and they don’t approve. There are two ways to approach this issue: 1) professional norms and 2) copyright law.

While it may not be as fun as the underlying engineering work that went into producing a research paper, it’s important for authors to be well-informed about their rights and responsibilities. Having some awareness of copyright law and adhering to best practices, authors can protect their intellectual property and avoid potential disputes with co-authors.

First, it’s generally considered good practice for authors to seek permission from their co-authors before submitting a paper for publication at any venue. Journal publishers typically expect that all authors are aware of and agree to a possible publication of their work (this also influences copyright, discussed further below). As part of the submission process at Engineering Archive, submitting authors are specifically asked if they have obtained permission to post the work from their co-authors. However, this permission is not independently verified by server moderators.

With regards to copyright law*, there are a few considerations. When it comes to a multi-authored work such as a typical research manuscript, each author holds copyright over their specific contributions. This means that if a portion of the work was originally created by a single author, that author has the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, display, and perform only that specific part of the work. However, it’s not always possible to discern each individual’s contributions to a research paper. If this is the case, then the copyright for the entire work is typically owned by the authors collectively, not individually. Therefore, each author would have the right to reproduce, distribute, display, and perform the entire work, but not just their specific contributions.

As a best practice, authors should consider implementing an authorship agreement in advance of any collaboration. This agreement could address issues such as acceptable future venues for publication (don’t forget to include a preprint server!), authorship order, etc. All authors should agree in advance on these things which may have future implications on the acceptable terms of publication, including the choice of publisher, the license granted to the publisher, and the terms of any agreements regarding royalties or other financial considerations.

Issues related to authorship disputes may be covered in our server’s terms. Most of the time, co-authors should discuss these matters and reach an agreement prior to submitting a work to Engineering Archive. Once the work has been posted to the server, our terms and conditions apply and withdrawal of the work will only be made under conditions of legal obligation.

This is a blog post and not legal advice. It’s always advisable to consult a legal expert or refer to copyright law resources when dealing with copyright matters.