Scholar Launch Honor Code

Scholar Launch asks you to commit to pursuing your studies and research with integrity,  thereby ensuring that the work you share with the world is truly your own and possesses intrinsic merit.

Every finding you report, every source you cite and every sentence you write under your name should be something you can stand behind. Since 2019, Scholar Launch has paired middle, high school and college students with university Faculty Advisors to complete original research, and the student is always the author of that work.

Your Commitments as a Scholar

Your work is your own. As a Scholar Launch student, you are the author of your research paper or product, and the writing, analysis and results in it are yours.

Your data is real. Scholar Launch students report data and results exactly as they found them, including results that did not support the original hypothesis. You never invent, alter or quietly drop data to make a finding look stronger.

You give credit where it is due. Every idea, quotation, dataset, image and method you borrow from someone else is cited clearly in your Scholar Launch research.

You follow research ethics and safety rules. Scholar Launch projects that involve human participants, animals or hazardous materials follow IRB or SRC review where required, for example by following ISEF rules.

You describe your work honestly. When you write about your Scholar Launch research in college applications, résumés or interviews, you describe your role and contributions accurately and state your publication status exactly as it stands.

You show up as a working researcher. Scholar Launch students spend 3 to 5 hours each week on independent research and homework, complete assigned tasks and readings on time, and collaborate enthusiastically and openly with their Faculty Advisor and Teaching Assistant.

What Your Faculty Advisor Commits To

Guiding your methods. Your Scholar Launch Faculty Advisor guides you toward sound research methods for the question you want to answer.

Giving feedback you can use. Your Faculty Advisor reviews your drafts and gives you clear feedback, so your thinking and writing grow stronger with each revision.

Leaving the authorship to you. A Scholar Launch Faculty Advisor never writes or rewrites your paper and does not generate results for you.

What Scholar Launch Commits To

Guidance without guarantees. Scholar Launch offers publication advice, and publication is never guaranteed as it violates academic integrity.

Respect for journal independence. All academic journals’ editorial policies are independent, and Scholar Launch respects and values that independence.

Letters that are earned. Scholar Launch never guarantees a letter of recommendation, because promising one would be unethical. We show you how to request a letter, but earning one is your own responsibility.

Honest reporting of student outcomes. When Scholar Launch shares what students have achieved, we describe their work and results accurately.

Ethics review where it is required. Scholar Launch advises that any project that involves human participants, animals or hazardous materials should go through regular IRB or SRC reviews where required, for example by following ISEF rules.

If Something Goes Wrong

Research is full of judgment calls, and asking early is always the right move. If you are unsure whether a source needs a citation or a result is ready to report, talk with your Faculty Advisor before you move forward. If you find an error in your data, analysis or citations, inform your Faculty Advisor and work to fix it. Catching a problem yourself and fixing it is a sign of a careful researcher. Don’t be discouraged by bumps in the road!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the research I do at Scholar Launch really my own?
Yes. You are the sole author of your paper or product, unless your specific research program involves a formal co-authorship collaboration with your Faculty Advisor, which is a rare but great honor for any student. Your advisor guides your methods, gives feedback and reviews your drafts, but never writes, rewrites or generates results for you. You also need to spend at least 3 to 5 hours each week on independent research and homework.

Can I use AI tools on my research project?
You may use AI to brainstorm research ideas with the instructors’ permission. But generating research papers and citations using AI tools is strictly prohibited by Scholar Launch. If you are unsure where or how to use your AI tools, ask before you use it.

Will my research be published if I join Scholar Launch?
Publication is never guaranteed. Scholar Launch offers publication advice, but all academic journals makes their own decisions. It is common and expected for all researchers to face ‘revise and resubmit’ requests or even ‘rejections’ from journals, and this may be for a variety of factors. What you control is the quality and originality of your research.

Will my Faculty Advisor write me a letter of recommendation?
A letter is never guaranteed, because guaranteeing one would be unethical. Scholar Launch shows you how to request a letter, and earning it is up to your own effort. Students who put real effort into their research and produce concrete results are well placed to receive a highly positive and impactful evaluation from their instructors.

Does my project need an ethics review?
It depends on what your project involves. Projects with human participants, animals or hazardous materials follow IRB or SRC review guidelines where required, for example in accordance with ISEF rules. Surveys and interviews count as research with human participants. Your Faculty Advisor can advise you on the specifics of your project.

How should I describe my Scholar Launch research in college applications?
Describe it accurately: the question you asked, what you did and what you found. Present your Faculty Advisor's role in the guidance process accurately, and state your publication status exactly as it stands, whether that is in progress, submitted, under review or published.