Code of Conduct

GCN Notices and Circulars are rapid communications which are by definition preliminary, and submitted as best-effort for the accuracy of their content. They are citable in publications, but are not peer reviewed.

The sharing of preliminary analysis and results in an open and respectful manner enables the productive exchange of information and ideas. Notices and Circulars contain factual information on observations and analysis of astronomical transients, not opinions, speculation, or disagreements with individuals or groups. The Circulars style guide provides additional criteria and community standards for Circular content.

GCN is committed to adhere to the NASA Astrophysics Statement of Principles.

Retractions

If an initial automated or manually-generated Notice/Circular is later deemed to be misclassified as an astronomical object, the generating team should promptly submit another Notice/Circular informing the community of the retracted claim.

Errata

Circulars authors can request edits to their own archived Circulars to correct inaccurate information, especially when the correction is important for the follow-up community's activities. These may include author lists, subject corrections, typos, and incorrect citations. This capability should not be used to add details of new observations or analysis — instead users should submit new Circulars with subjects noting "refined analysis" or "additional observations". To request corrections, navigate to the archive page for that particular circular, and select "Request Correction." The GCN team moderators will review the requested correction, and may contact the submitter for their concurrence.

Reproducing GCN Notices or Circulars in External Archives

The GCN team welcomes cross-compatibility between community astronomical resources. GCN Circulars are scholarly publications and that and the expectations of scientific conduct for citing and reproducing them apply. If GCN Notices, Circulars, or their data are used in other systems, please link back to the original source materal at https://gcn.nasa.gov or https://gcn.gsfc.nasa.gov.

Enforcement

The GCN system and community aim to foster an inclusive environment for the exchange of information and ideas. Mistakes are completely understandable in these forms of rapid communication, and the GCN team is happy to work with users to correct any unintentional errors. GCN will not tolerate users who are intentionally disrespectful, misrepresent data or analysis, plagiarize, or reproduce data or analysis without permission of the originator or proper citation.

Circulars submitting privileges are granted for new users via the GCN peer endorsement system. Any user found to intentionally violate these policies will have their Circulars/Notices submission privileges revoked. This may lead to a review of the peer endorser who approved the offending user.

Acknowledgement

The GCN team requests that any presentation, publication, or document that mentions the GCN system, specific GCN Circulars or Notices, to please reference the General Coordinates Network (https://gcn.nasa.gov) and cite Circulars using bibliographic records from the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS).