The single category that best fits a paper's main contribution. It decides which endorsement you need and where the paper is announced.
Read: Choosing your primary category (cs.AI vs cs.LG vs cs.CL and friends)
Glossary
The words you'll meet before your first preprint, in plain English. Across the site, a dotted orange underline means a word is defined here; hover or tap it to see the definition. For arXiv's exact rules, follow the article links, which cite arXiv's own pages.
arXiv and preprints
- arXiv
A free, open-access repository where researchers share papers publicly, usually before or alongside formal publication. It is not a peer-reviewed journal.
- Preprint
A complete research paper shared publicly before, or independently of, peer review in a journal or conference.
- Peer review
Formal evaluation of a paper by independent experts, usually organised by a journal or conference, before it is accepted for publication. arXiv moderation and endorsement are not peer review.
Read: Research paper vs survey vs position paper — and the CS peer-review rule
- DOI
Digital Object Identifier: a permanent ID for a published work, such as 10.1145/1234567. A DOI can serve as proof that a paper was published after peer review.
Read: Research paper vs survey vs position paper — and the CS peer-review rule
Papers and categories
- Abstract
A short summary of a paper: the problem, what you did and what you found. On ResearchGuild, only the abstract is shown until you choose who reads the full paper.
- Original research paper
A paper that reports new work: new methods, experiments, results, data or proofs.
Read: Research paper vs survey vs position paper — and the CS peer-review rule
- Survey or review paper
A paper that summarises and organises existing work on a topic rather than reporting new results. arXiv's CS section only accepts these after they have passed peer review elsewhere.
Read: Research paper vs survey vs position paper — and the CS peer-review rule
- Position paper
A paper that argues for a viewpoint or direction for a field rather than reporting new results. Like surveys, arXiv's CS section only accepts these after peer review elsewhere.
Read: Research paper vs survey vs position paper — and the CS peer-review rule
- Category (subject class)
arXiv's topic label for a paper, such as cs.AI (Artificial Intelligence) or cs.CL (Computation and Language). Moderators and readers use it to route and find papers.
Read: Choosing your primary category (cs.AI vs cs.LG vs cs.CL and friends)
- Primary category
- Cross-listing
Also listing a paper in secondary categories so readers in related fields can find it. Use it only when the paper is genuinely relevant there.
- Sub-topic
A ResearchGuild tag inside a category, such as “Agents & planning” in cs.AI. Authors tag papers with 1–3 sub-topics and endorsers follow the ones they know, which drives matching. arXiv doesn't use these.
- TeX / LaTeX
A typesetting system widely used for scientific papers. arXiv accepts TeX/LaTeX source as well as PDFs; the linked article explains which to use.
- License
The permission you choose when submitting, which says how others may reuse your paper (for example, a Creative Commons license). arXiv treats each version's license as irrevocable.
Endorsement
- Endorsement
A statement, made on arXiv's own form by an established arXiv author, that you are someone who can reasonably contribute to a subject area. It is not peer review and doesn't guarantee acceptance.
- Endorser
An arXiv author who is eligible to endorse in a subject area, which depends on their own recent papers there. On ResearchGuild, endorsers are volunteers who opt in to read abstracts.
- Endorsement code
A short code arXiv gives you when it asks for an endorsement. An endorser enters it on arXiv's form to endorse you. Here it stays hidden until a reviewer has opened your full paper.
- Endorsement domain
A group of related arXiv subject areas that share one endorsement. Being endorsed in one domain doesn't automatically cover another.
- “Do not endorse”
The option on arXiv's endorsement form for an endorser who decides not to vouch for someone. It counts as a real vote, so declines here should also be recorded there.
- “Show endorsers” page
arXiv's page that lists which authors of a given paper can endorse. Endorsers on ResearchGuild link one as evidence of eligibility.
After you submit
- Moderation
arXiv's check of every submission for fit and basic quality before it is announced. It is separate from endorsement and from peer review.
Read: After you submit: on hold, reclassification and moderation
- On hold
A submission status meaning arXiv moderators are taking a closer look before announcing the paper.
Read: After you submit: on hold, reclassification and moderation
- Reclassification
When arXiv moderators move a paper to a different primary category than the one the author chose.
Read: After you submit: on hold, reclassification and moderation
- arXiv ID
The permanent identifier arXiv assigns when a paper is announced, such as 2409.12345. Adding it here lets us verify the posting.
- Replacement (new version)
Uploading an updated version of an announced paper. Earlier versions stay available, labelled v1, v2 and so on.
- Withdrawal
Marking an announced arXiv paper as withdrawn. It adds a new version with your reason, and earlier versions remain accessible, so withdrawal isn't deletion.
On ResearchGuild
- Readiness check
Seven questions you must pass before posting an abstract here: paper type, a complete English version, a finished draft, category, own work, endorsement code, and a promise not to mass-ask.
- Full paper
Your complete manuscript as a PDF. It is private: only you, your co-authors and the reviewers you share it with can open it, and it's deleted 30 days after the paper closes.
- Reviewer
On ResearchGuild, an endorser who has accepted your abstract and received your full paper. Up to 3 can hold a paper at once.
- Waitlist
A first-come queue for reviewers when a paper already has the maximum number of active reviewers, or a reviewer is at their own capacity. People move in automatically when a slot frees.
- Feedback round
One turn of reviewer comments followed by the author's reply or new version. Rounds happen in in-app threads; there are no private messages.
- Endorser capability
Your self-declared eligibility to endorse in one category, with an evidence link. It shows as “claimed” until a paper you endorse here is verified as posted in that category, then “confirmed”.
- Nudge
An in-app note an author can send to a matching endorser. It is limited to 3 per paper per week so nobody is mass-asked.
- Karma
Points that make helping newcomers visible. Endorsing and declining earn the same. Karma has no monetary value and can't be transferred.
- Track record
An endorser's history here: confirmed endorsements, how many were verified as posted on arXiv, and how helpful authors found their feedback.
- Pay-it-forward pledge
A promise, made after someone vouches for you, to review for others once you are eligible. We remind you 3 months after your paper is posted.
Identity and research profiles
- ORCID iD
A free, persistent identifier for researchers, like 0000-0002-1825-0097, that links you to your work. Optional here.
- OpenAlex
A free, open catalogue of scholarly works and authors. We use it to list your past papers when you pick your author record.
- Google Scholar
Google's search engine for academic papers. Researcher profiles there list papers and citations. We show your link but can't read it automatically.
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