Code of Conduct

Building better science starts with how we treat each other.

We're creating a space where researchers can rate, review, and discuss published work honestly, thoughtfully, and safely. Remember, we are all on the same side with shared goals - we all just want better science! To help make that possible, we ask everyone to follow these simple rules:

๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿคโ€๐Ÿง‘ 1. Be Respectful

  • Treat others the way you'd want your work to be treated.
  • Critique ideas, not people.
  • Disagree with curiosity, not hostility.

๐Ÿง  2. Be Thoughtful

  • Ratings must be backed by meaningful, constructive commentary.
  • Low-effort reviews like "good paper" or "didn't like it" won't be published.
  • Focus on quality, clarity, and contribution to the field.

๐Ÿ‘ค 3. Stay Anonymous, Stay Accountable

  • Reviews are anonymous to protect open expression
  • Abuse of anonymity (e.g., personal attacks, targeted negativity) won't be tolerated
  • No sharing of personal information in comments or discussions (e.g. "I worked in this lab", "My name is John Smith and I work in XYZ lab", "User GreenMicroscope is actually Mary John and works in ABC lab", etcโ€ฆ.)

๐Ÿšซ 4. No Harassment, Hate, or Bullying

  • This includes but isn't limited to: discrimination, intimidation, stalking, or repeated negative targeting of individuals.
  • No "outing" or sharing of personal information if you think you know who an anonymous user might be
  • Users who submit three or more low-rated reviews to the same author will be flagged for admin review - this is for us to check you all reviews are given in good faith, rather than "author-bashing"

๐Ÿงช 5. Keep It Research-Focused

  • Paperstars is for discussing published research - not for promoting personal content or starting unrelated debates.
  • Questions, concerns, and alternative analyses are encouraged - when they're shared in good faith.

๐Ÿงน 6. Help Keep the Community Safe

  • Use the flag feature to report harmful or worrying content.
  • Our team and community moderators will review flagged content quickly and fairly.
  • We'll always err on the side of protecting thoughtful, good-faith participation.

๐Ÿ™Œ Let's build something better.

By using Paperstars, you agree to follow this Code of Conduct. Users who violate these guidelines may have their accounts limited, suspended, or removed.

โš–๏ธ What Happens If You Break the Rules?

At Paperstars, we're building a research community rooted in trust, integrity, and honest critique - not personal attacks.

In the early stages of the platform, all reviews will be reviewed by an admin before being published. This helps us protect contributors, prevent abuse, and set a high standard for respectful discussion.

Remember, admins will only reject a review if it breaches the code of conduct.

Here's how we'll handle behavior that violates our Code of Conduct:

๐Ÿšซ Reviews that won't be published:

These are immediately rejected and the user will be warned/ may be escalated:

  • Personal attacks on authors or reviewers
  • Discriminatory or hateful language
  • Mocking tone, sarcasm intended to belittle
  • Attempts to dox or share identifying information

We may also reject reviews that include:

  • Wild speculation about motives or misconduct without evidence
  • Reviews that ignore the paper itself in favor of venting

๐ŸŸ  Escalation Process for Harmful Behavior

If a user consistently submits reviews that go against our values, here's what happens:

๐ŸŸก 1. Formal Warning

  • You'll receive a private message explaining why your content was rejected and a reminder of the Code of Conduct.
  • This is a chance to reflect and improve.

๐ŸŸ  2. Temporary Suspension

  • If inappropriate behavior continues, you may lose access to posting or reviewing for two weeks.
  • You'll still be able to read and browse, but not contribute.

๐Ÿ”ด 3. Permanent Ban

  • If harmful behavior continues after a suspension, or if a user submits something seriously abusive or dangerous, they will be permanently banned.
  • This includes any attempt to evade suspension or submit reviews under alternate accounts.

๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ Appeals + Transparency

  • You can request a review of any moderation decision at info@paperstars.org
  • Moderation actions will never be public, but we may share general trends with the community to maintain transparency

๐Ÿค In Summary:

  • No one gets punished for honest disagreement.
  • But if you're cruel, unsafe, or targeting others, you will lose access.

Let's build the kind of review culture we all wish we had.