ABSTRACT
Motives for engaging in collaboration are contingent on circumstance. When collaboration spells cooperation, the halo cast over this enabling word lasts until it is replaced by a less sanctified description—manipulation. Since collaboration involves working with and using others, it is helpful to begin with the employment of research assistants. Collaboration among scholars of equivalent status is both similar— mutual benefit is what matters—and different. The ability to impose on each other, each doing more than half the work; the ability to call on the generosity of one collaborator to rescue the other, can make a big difference. When collaborators come from different fields or bring widely varying perspectives and backgrounds, much has to be done to bridge the gap. A preference for help over advice also makes manageable the question of creativity. Presumably partners who collaborate have agreed on the project, a rough outline, and a division of labor.
