Hi Sarah, it sounds really enoying. I had the same dicussion with my supervisor as I am publishing a paper about something I have done before I started my PhD. He wanted to go on it and I strictly refuse as he has done nothing - not even given money. In this context I found some information: 1st author has done the majority of work including the writing, anybody else must have contributed three aspects e.g. data, editing, funding. Otherwise they just go in the acknowledgments. Do you have somebody in the department to speak to? Not that I doubt what you say but you must be very confident to say: It is only my work. Talk to a postdoc, other lecturer, your tutor how they see the situation. Ask your supervisor about the order of names. If he says other guy first ask for a written statement "why". I think it is important to stand up for yourself.
I hope you are succesful!

If you really want to end this quick, you should just go straight to your university's IP/legal office for advice. Then go to your head of dept of faculty (or university research board/committee if necessary) armed with advice given to you by the IP/legal office.

When it comes down to it, the presence (or lack of) evidence in research diaries/journals will make the case. Of course we hope it doesn't go that far.

On a slightly different tack, I have experienced the annoying situation where you try a new method, or have a possible idea to improve something. In your enthusiasm you mention it to another lab worker, and next thing you know, a week later your supervisors are saying "You know, so-and-so had this interesting idea - why don't you try it?" And you're thinking - yep, wonder where so-and-so got that idea...

So now I tell my supervisors of any ideas I have, even if they don't work.

It's not so much about telling your supervisor to get first mention.

It's more about being the first to write about your hypothesis in your research diary/journal.

True; at least everything is dated and signed in your journal. I was only referring to fairly minor discoveries/modifications, just still annoying. If you are complimented by your supervisor on something original, it's polite to say "Actually, it wasn't my idea" rather than say nothing and let them assume it was.

Anyway that's off my chest now so I'll be quiet

You never know if minor modifications or discoveries could lead to something much bigger later... and that's what your research diary is there for. Your IP is your most valuable asset as a research scientist.

You're spot on there.

Mind you my lab diary is so bloody scruffy, even I have trouble reading it sometimes.

Is there any chance that this arrangmeent will be reciprocated in your favour? (It bloody well should be!) That YOU can also benefit from joint first authorship through work completed by this other person? Might be worth sounding your supervisor out about this - if it is a distcinct possibility it would be advisable to grin and bear it.

However if there is no chance of this, you are WELL within your rights to speak to someone else (your departmental director of reearch maybe?). You say the person has developed a method that you will use? Developing a method is all well and good, but does not direcly constitute authorship if someone else uses it in a different context. If s/he has not been directly involved with YOUR work they have no claim to authorship whatsoever, let alone first author. If authorship worked on that basis, I'd have had a whole football team of authors on everything I wrote!

well ive arranged a meeting with my supervisors and the other indivudual so hopefully it will get ressolved (in my favour!).its going to be 2 versus 2 in the meeting so should be interesting!!thanks for all the help,i feel not quite as crazy as before!

If all else fails at the meeting, sneak a little laxative medication into their coffee. There is much satisfaction to be had seeing them enjoy the effects of induced bowel movement.

laxetives ehhh interesting

Good luck Sarah I hope everything turns out in your favor. I have been in that situation before with not so much luck but I always think that once I gt my PhD I can publish anything I want on my own and don't have to bother about jerks, just help me keep going
I love the laxatives idea...need to do something

I hope it turns out for the best.

Hmmm....Laxatives....no! stop putting ideas into my head! LOL.

Thanks for all your support on my problem,i feel much better today. Its very difficult to not be incredibly offended about something like this-basically someone taking credit for your work!!anyway il just have to see what happens really,fingers crossed it will get sorted. Im wondering does anyone know if you go joint first authorship whose name goes first-is it alphabetical or just up to submitters??any help appreciated

it usually depends on how the journal your submitting to wants to present it. When I've done this, i've given the manuscript to an editor so it reads:

"Title of paper" by Kronk O'Dile (1)* and Other Person (1)#
* Belford University
# other place

Therefore the numbers denote equal responsibility and the symbols denote where we're from. Then it's up to the journal to list alphabetically by name/institution, etc.