Ethical and legal considerations regarding disputed authorship with the use of shared data

Abstract

Little guidance is currently available for handling disputes between research mentors and students when working with shared data. This article analyzes how the ethical guidelines from the American Psychological Association (APA), the Office of Research Integrity (ORI), and the American Educational Research Association (AERA) can inform common disputes in this area. Additional insights about the nature of the research relationship are derived from contract and copyright law. Practice guidelines are proposed to safeguard student and faculty welfare in research collaboration, and recommendations are provided to help prevent and resolve disputes between students and faculty.