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:

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 1. Be Respectful

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

🧠 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.

👤 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", etc….)

🚫 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"

🧪 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.

🧹 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.

🙌 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.

⚖️ 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:

🚫 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

🟠 Escalation Process for Harmful Behavior

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

🟡 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.

🟠 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.

🔴 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.

🛡️ 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

🤝 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.