Hi,

When you are a PhD student, do you always have to include your supervisors name as a second author in conference papers/ journal articles / conference posters?

Thanks!

I do, unless my supervisor thinks its not something worth her while i.e. the conference isn't high profile enough :p

Conventions vary by field/discipline. In mine (humanities) it is perfectly normal for PG students to single-author journal papers and conference presentations. During my part-time PhD I had 2 peer-reviewed journal papers published and gave 1 international conference presentation. I was sole author at all of them. My supervisor didn't do work for them. So why should they be listed?

Is it worth asking him if he wants to be excluded? The conference isn't high profile but I don't want to seem rude. I added his name, and he didn't comment on it.

Does it make a difference whether the paper is just you or with your supervisor?

But did your supervisor not check them? A final edit?

I actually submitted an abstract 2 days ago, which has been accepted at a conference. i nearly missed the deadline, so sup didn't see it. I emailed her and said "I've just put in an abstract to this conference" and she just assumed her name would go on it, as the reply read "can I have the full details for my webpage please" so I guess that means I have to put her on it haha! Oh well. I think its whether you are 1st author really counts with these things.

No they didn't. I wrote them entirely off my own back.

But even if they had glanced through and given feedback I wouldn't consider that reason enough for adding their name. Their job is to supervise. It doesn't mean they should get credit on everything I did while a student.

I did thank them in the journal papers, in the very first footnote. But that's quite a different thing from being credited as a co-author.

Interesting responses from both of you :) . I think I'll stick to the safer side and include him, it is easier that way.

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I recently published a paper and I put my two supervisors as co-authors because they did provide feedback and helped me with the process. However, if you did the work completely on your own that is a different situation..

Hey choco! I have always added my primary supervisor as second author, since she has always commented on several drafts of my papers before submission. I have also included her on my conference abstracts- certainly in our department, it is usual to mention everyone who worked on the project in some capacity (well, within reason!). I haven't mentioned my second sup on anything to date, because I really haven't seen much of him and he hasn't really contributed much apart from supporting recruitment of participants to some degree. Unless your sup has made no contribution at all, then I would put him/her down as second author. Apart from anything, I like people to see my name next to my supervisor's name and to be associated with her, because she's very well known and respected in her field and I think it reflects positively on the work that I produce and gives it some clout! Just my own opinion! Best, KB

On come on guys, if the sups didn't add anything... why on earth add as co-authors? Simply credit them in footnote for 'coments on earlier drafts of this paper'. No input no authorship is the only way it makes sense..give yourselves credit where credit is due.

Seems like everyone has got differing views. Maybe each discipline/uni/country has its own cultural norms with regards to this?