I think Will makes an important point. If you want to gauge someone's research you should read it. Often, people will team up with others' who have complimentary skills. By looking at someone's cumulative work their particular skills and contributions will most likely emerge.
For example, say some real economic modeling shows up in a Hoopes and Postrel paper. Anyone who has read Steve's solo work will know he is a modeler (a G. Saloner student as it happens). Thus, if you are impressed by the modeling, even if I get 1/2 the credit, you had best note that Steve actually did the real work.
If evaluating someone's work is very important getting bogged down on quantitative hairsplitting won't get you too far. You'd best just sit down and read what they've done.
David
-----Original Message-----
From: Business Policy and Strategy List on behalf of Will Mitchell
Sent: Tue 12/18/2007 9:14 AM
To:
BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.pace.edu
Subject: Re: Multiple Authorship
My own rule for assessing the contribution of any given author is pretty simple.
1. Read the paper.
2. Read other papers that the author has written.
3. Look for themes and assess the aggregate value added across the papers.
Underlying assumptions
1. The impact of scholarship is cumulative
2. Parsing individual pieces of multi-author work is both impossible and potentially pathological
3. You can only understand someone's contributions if you read their papers, rather than their c.v.
will
Michael Boyer O'Leary wrote:
Jim,
I had a tangle over this two years ago, and there were no such policies at BC then. I doubt that's changed. Perhaps Stony Brook has them?
Michael
At 11:06 AM 12/14/2007, you wrote:
A colleague and I are seeking literature sources on the topic of policies related to multiple authorship of articles and books. We need information about regulatory criteria used at the institutional level, as well as policies promulgated by regulatory and funding agencies (e.g., NSF). Information about rules for citation are also of interest. Please email: Professor James L. Bess in Amherst, MA at:
JLBess1@aol.com.
Thank you.
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Michael Boyer O'Leary, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Boston College
Carroll School of Management
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Tel 617/552-6823 [Office] Fax 810/885-2514
e-mails:
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--
Will Mitchell
J. Rex Fuqua Professor of International Management
Duke University, The Fuqua School of Business
Box 90120, Durham, NC, US 27708-0120
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