Community guidelines
Guidelines for useful and trustworthy research
Scientific Commons is a place to develop and examine research, not an automatic stamp of approval. A contribution being published here does not mean its claims have been independently verified. Be clear about what you know, what you assume and what still needs testing.
Be precise about what you claim
State the problem, method, conditions and limitations clearly. Separate measured results from estimates, interpretations and ideas that still need testing. Explain what your evidence supports—and what it does not.
Show where your claims come from
Cite the papers, datasets, code, standards and other sources you rely on. Check that a source actually supports the claim you attach to it. Distinguish what you have verified yourself from what you have taken from others.
Report what worked and what did not
Replications, negative results, failed approaches and constructive criticism can all move research forward. Describe what you tried, under what conditions and what you learned. Do not hide an unsuccessful result or claim more than it demonstrates.
Correct mistakes and respect boundaries
When you find an error, make the correction clear and explain what changed. Preserve the context needed to understand the work. Respect privacy, consent, safety, confidentiality and intellectual-property obligations; never share material you are not authorised to disclose.
Use AI as a tool, not as evidence
AI can help organise notes, improve writing or explore possible approaches. It cannot establish that a scientific claim is true. Check generated references, calculations, code and technical statements, be transparent about substantial AI assistance and take responsibility for what you contribute.
Privacy on Scientific Commons
Who can see your work
| Item | Public | Private |
|---|---|---|
| Research thread | Anyone, once published by the editors. Signed-in members can discuss, investigate and contribute. | You, site administrators, and members you accept as collaborators or reviewers. |
| Investigation | Anyone viewing the thread sees your nickname, type of work and plan. | You, site administrators, and members you accept as collaborators on it. The thread shows only an anonymous count. |
| Progress update | Anyone viewing the thread, with or without your nickname. | You and site administrators. |
| Contribution | Anyone with the link, signed in or not. | You, site administrators, and reviewers you accept. |
| Research profile | Anyone — lists only work you published under your nickname. | Not shown at all; nobody can open it. |
- Anonymous means other members and the public see "anonymous" instead of your nickname. Site administrators can still see who wrote it, and readers may infer identity from context.
- Following a thread only sends you updates. It never opens private investigations or lets you edit the thread.
- You can change an investigation's or contribution's visibility later. Anything already public may have been read or copied in the meantime.
- Publishing here does not register ownership of an idea or protect patent rights.
- Scientific Commons uses privacy-conscious analytics to understand how the platform is used and improve the research experience. We do not send private research content or researcher identities to our analytics service.