Is it ok to have a co-authored chapter in a single-authored monograph?

[Santommaso]

I'm writing a book manuscript of seven chapters and wondering whether it would be ok to have one (just one) of the chapters co-authored with a colleague. I think I would still be listed as sole author of the book on the title page, but in the co-authored chapter and in the table of contents the co-author's name would appear. Can anyone think of any examples of this kind of authorship? To be clear: I would be sole author of everything except for one chapter. I'm wondering how to credit authorship properly and proportionately in a situation like this. Co-authorship of the whole book would seem to be inaccurate, but I don't want to downplay the co-author's contribution to the one chapter. Suggestions welcome.

[darkstarrynight]

I am actually in a similar situation. I want to submit a book proposal for a single-authored book but have students submit brief (1-2 page) case studies as examples of concepts. I am trying to figure this out too so they can get proper credit.

[mamselle]

Are (either or both of) these books being considered for tenure or promotion bids?

Or are they "just books"?

M.

[darkstarrynight]

Are (either or both of) these books being considered for tenure or promotion bids?

Or are they "just books"?

M.

For me this is just a book (I am teaching a brand new course this summer and a professional organization that publishes books in my field expressed interest in a book on the summer course topic and asked me to submit a proposal). If I had a book contract in place next Spring when I am considering a promotion to full, it could help, but I do not think it is necessary for the promotion.

[traductio]

I'm writing a book manuscript of seven chapters and wondering whether it would be ok to have one (just one) of the chapters co-authored with a colleague. I think I would still be listed as sole author of the book on the title page, but in the co-authored chapter and in the table of contents the co-author's name would appear. Can anyone think of any examples of this kind of authorship? To be clear: I would be sole author of everything except for one chapter. I'm wondering how to credit authorship properly and proportionately in a situation like this. Co-authorship of the whole book would seem to be inaccurate, but I don't want to downplay the co-author's contribution to the one chapter. Suggestions welcome.

It's not common, but it's not unheard of either. In my field (communication), I can think of two books off-hand that fall into this category -- Gertrude Robinson's Constructing the Quebec Referendum and James Carey's Communication as Culture. (They come to mind mostly because I've had to find ways to cite the co-authored chapters, which is not something style guides really address.)

[Santommaso]

Are (either or both of) these books being considered for tenure or promotion bids?

Or are they "just books"?

M.

In my case, not relevant to tenure.

[dismalist]

I'm writing a book manuscript of seven chapters and wondering whether it would be ok to have one (just one) of the chapters co-authored with a colleague. I think I would still be listed as sole author of the book on the title page, but in the co-authored chapter and in the table of contents the co-author's name would appear. Can anyone think of any examples of this kind of authorship? To be clear: I would be sole author of everything except for one chapter. I'm wondering how to credit authorship properly and proportionately in a situation like this. Co-authorship of the whole book would seem to be inaccurate, but I don't want to downplay the co-author's contribution to the one chapter. Suggestions welcome.

Yeah, there's David Friedman's

Legal Systems Very Different from Ours , written by me but with one chapter each contributed by Peter Leeson and David Skarbek, discusses thirteen different legal systems, ranging from Imperial China and Periclean Athens to modern Amish and Romani. It is available in print, as a kindle, and as an audiobook. A late draft is webbed, including the footnotes omitted from the audio.

ETA: Oops, the two authors of individual chapters are credited as co-authors on the cover. That's an author too far in this case. I'd ask some publishers' employees what practice is allowable.

[dinomom]

I have seen this done. The book was, I think, for promotion to full, and was published by Cambridge UP.

[Hegemony]

I would say that it's fine unless you're using the book for tenure. However, you will be designing a permanent nightmare for anyone trying to cite your work, especially if, say, they are citing one single-authored chapter and one co-authored chapter from your book.

Could you keep the co-author's contribution extremely minimal, so you could just thank them in the Acknowledgements?

Or could you just publish that particular chapter in a journal, and leave it out of the book?

[Hibush]

I've seen one book that was mainly by the main authors but had vignettes of ~2 pages by various other people. The vignette authors were not authors of the book. Their pieces are cited as if they were chapters in an edited volume. The book authors got full credit for their authorship. Seems to have worked fine.

I am a proponent of giving each piece its own DOI (Digital Object Identifier) if the work will be available electronically. Then the specific piece can always be cited unambiguously.