Certified Random: A New Order for Coauthorship

Debraj Ray and Arthur Robson

American Economic Review, 2018, vol. 108, issue 2, 489-520

Abstract: Alphabetical name order is the norm for joint publications in economics. However, alphabetical order confers greater benefits on the first author. In a two-author model, we introduce and study certified random order: the uniform randomization of names made universally known by a commonly understood symbol. Certified random order (i) distributes the gain from first authorship evenly over the alphabet; (ii) allows either author to signal when contributions are extremely unequal; (iii) will invade an environment where alphabetical order is dominant; (iv) is robust to deviations; (v) may be ex ante more efficient than alphabetical order; and (vi) is no more complex than the existing alphabetical system modified by occasional reversal of name order.

JEL-codes: A14 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.20161492
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (42)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257/aer.20161492 (application/pdf)
https://www.aeaweb.org/articles/attachments?retrie ... 3oCVBiUhsMg8lE1-J2MB (application/zip)
Access to full text is restricted to AEA members and institutional subscribers.

Related works:
Working Paper: Certified Random: A New Order for Co-Authorship (2016)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:108:y:2018:i:2:p:489-520

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.aeaweb.org/journals/subscriptions

Access Statistics for this article

American Economic Review is currently edited by Esther Duflo

More articles in American Economic Review from American Economic Association Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Michael P. Albert ().