Common questions, and where the answer is written ================================================= Tillyard. Version 1.1. In effect from October 21, 2026. Fingerprint of this text (SHA-256): cf0f3b42759ee7af20b35ff098c25ab52467d3735656bf08b704b64f55e04c7d This version: https://tillyard.org/policies/common-questions/v/1.1 Our documents are long because they try to answer real questions before they come up. This page is the way in. Find your question, read the short answer, and follow it to the section that governs. - Each row gives a question, a short answer, and where the full answer is written. - The short answer is a signpost. The section it points to is what governs. - This page is a guide. It is not part of the agreement, and it adds no rule of its own. If this summary and the full text below ever differ, the full text governs. 1. Joining and leaving ====================== Questions about joining and leaving, with a short answer and where to read more. Question | Short answer | Where it is written --------------------------------------------- Who can join? | Adults aged 18 or over who live in the United States when they join and are current students or recent graduates of a United States college on our list. Joining is not open yet: leave a college email address at tillyard.org/join and we write once when you can join. | Terms of Use, section 3; Eligibility and Verification Policy, section 2 What is a "recent graduate"? | Someone who finished a degree or a credit-bearing program at a listed college within the 24 months before joining. | Eligibility and Verification Policy, section 6.3 I am 17 and already in college. Can I join? | No. You are welcome once you are 18. | Eligibility and Verification Policy, section 4.1 What does it cost? | Nothing today. That is the current offer and not a promise about the future. | Terms of Use, sections 23.1 and 26.1 What exactly do I agree to when I join? | One box, in the words shown on this site's consent register. It brings in the Terms of Use and the Community Guidelines. | The Words on the Screen: Consent Register, entry 1; Terms of Use, section 2 Do you check my age or my enrolment? | We check your date of birth once and do not keep it. We check that your college mailbox answers. We do not contact your college. | Privacy Notice, section 5; Eligibility and Verification Policy, section 2.2 What happens when I graduate? | Nothing on the day. Your membership lasts for as long as the yearly email check can be completed. | Eligibility and Verification Policy, section 10 How do I close my account? | From Account, "Leave". You are hidden at once, you have 14 days to change your mind, and then your data is erased. | Account Deletion and Data Export Policy, section 5 Can I take a copy of my data? | Yes, a copy of what your account holds about you. A few things are left out, such as notes other people wrote to you. | Account Deletion and Data Export Policy, sections 3.5 and 3.6 2. How to behave ================ The Community Guidelines have their own table of quick answers, straight after their summary. These are the ones asked most. Questions about conduct, with a short answer and where to read more. Question | Short answer | Where it is written --------------------------------------------- Can I ask someone out? | No. | Community Guidelines, section 3.4 Can I give or ask for a phone number? | You may give your own to a member you are connected with. You may ask once, never as an opener, and silence means no. | Community Guidelines, section 3.17 Can I use an AI tool on my paper? | For wording, finding sources and checking, yes, if you declare it. Not to write your analysis. | AI-Use Policy, sections 4 to 6 Can I post an opening for paid work? | No. | Community Guidelines, section 3.14 Can I ask members for money? | No. | Community Guidelines, section 3.13 Can I have a second account? | No. | Terms of Use, section 3.6 Someone is bothering me. | Block, mute, report. | Community Guidelines, section 6; Reporting, Enforcement and Appeals Policy, sections 2 and 3 What happens if I break a rule? | Usually a notice, then a 24-hour mute, then a 7-day suspension, then removal. Serious conduct can go straight to removal. A person decides, and you can ask once for a second look. | Reporting, Enforcement and Appeals Policy, sections 9 and 14 Will you tell my college? | Not as a matter of routine. A referral is rare, says only who you are and what we decided, and never carries your messages. | Terms of Use, section 19.9 3. Privacy and messages ======================= Questions about privacy and messages, with a short answer and where to read more. Question | Short answer | Where it is written --------------------------------------------- Are my notes private? | From other members, yes. From us, no: they are not end-to-end encrypted, and they are screened by automated tools, some run by outside companies. | Messaging and Monitoring Notice, sections 2 and 3 Can staff read my notes? | Only a note that someone in the conversation reported or that screening flagged, with up to ten either side. There is no screen for browsing. | Messaging and Monitoring Notice, section 6.2 Who else can get my messages? | A short list: the people you wrote to, our service providers, and the cases the law provides for, such as a warrant. | Terms of Use, section 17.9 How long do you keep things? | Table chat 14 days. Notes up to 12 months. Every period is in one schedule. | Data Retention Schedule What is public about me? | Nothing until you switch it on. A paper you publish is public by its nature. | Privacy Notice, section 6 Do you sell my information or train AI on what I write? | No. | Terms of Use, Schedule 1, row B1 Are there cookies or trackers? | A few of our own cookies. No advertising or analytics. Cloudflare's bot check runs on some forms. | Cookie and Storage Statement; Privacy Notice, section 10 Does software decide what happens to my account? | Software can hold an item or pause an account while a person looks, including a pause of up to 24 hours when activity looks like abuse; that pause ends by itself unless a person extends it, and it is not a finding. A person decides every notice, mute, suspension and removal. | Privacy Notice, section 8; Terms of Use, section 19.3 4. The Record, papers and projects ================================== Questions about records, papers and projects, with a short answer and where to read more. Question | Short answer | Where it is written --------------------------------------------- What does a record page say? | What you did and exactly who confirmed it. It says nothing about skill, and it is not a record of employment. | The Record and Verification Policy, sections 2 and 8 Where do I put this on a résumé? | Under Publications, Projects, Leadership and activities, or Service. Never under Experience or Education. | How to list this on a résumé, section 3 Is the research library a scholarly journal? | No. It is a student publication. Its papers are read by members who chose to read them and approved by the editor, and they are not peer-reviewed. | Editorial Policy of Tillyard Research, sections 2 and 7 Who owns my paper? | You do. We have a licence to publish it that you can end. | Author Agreement and Licence, sections 3 and 4 Who owns what my team makes? | The team, in the way it chose when the project opened. We own none of it. | Standard Team Agreement, clause 4; Projects and Collaboration Terms, section 5 Do I have to read other people's work? | No. The one exception is a round whose rules say entrants score each other. | Terms of Use, section 10.1 What is hosting a table? | Something you choose to do, unpaid. It is not employment, and a host has no authority over anyone. | Hosting Terms and Disclosure Policy, sections 3 to 5 and 10 I host tables. What must I say when I post about you? | "I host tables at Tillyard." | Hosting Terms and Disclosure Policy, section 16 Something on a page about me is wrong. | Use the dispute form. You do not need an account. | Disputes and Corrections Policy, sections 2 and 5 5. Money ======== Questions about money, with a short answer and where to read more. Question | Short answer | Where it is written --------------------------------------------- What is a tip? | Not open yet: Tillyard cannot yet accept donations. A voluntary payment to Tillyard for a free service you have already used. The site's button calls it a donation. We cannot yet say whether it is tax-deductible. | Tips and Larger Payments Terms, section 2 Does a tip go to the student whose paper I read? | No. No part of a tip goes to any member. | Tips and Larger Payments Terms, sections 2.3 and 5.1 Does tipping help me? | No. It changes nobody's standing. | Tips and Larger Payments Terms, section 3 Can I have a tip back? | Yes, in full, if you ask within 30 days. | Tips and Larger Payments Terms, section 7 Who are your sponsors? | None today. A sponsor is always named, and gets nothing else. | Sponsorship and Independence Policy 6. If you are not a member ========================== Questions from people who are not members, with a short answer and where to read more. Question | Short answer | Where it is written --------------------------------------------- I am a recruiter. How do I read a record? | Open the link or type the code. Read the "how we know" sentence literally. | For employers: how to read a record A student asked me to confirm their volunteering. | You confirm only what you know. Your name and role are shown; your email address is not. You can withdraw. | Notice for Outside Confirmers I work at a college. Are you connected with us? | No. We are not affiliated with any college. | For colleges and campus offices An intimate image of me was shared here. | Use the form at tillyard.org/removal/intimate. A valid request is acted on within 48 hours. | Removing an Intimate Image: Short Notice My work was copied here. | Send a notice to the copyright agent. | Copyright Policy, section 5 I have a subpoena or a preservation request. | See the address and the process each kind of information needs. | Law Enforcement and Legal Requests Policy I found a security problem. | Write to security@tillyard.org. Good-faith research within our rules is treated as authorized. | Security and Vulnerability Disclosure Policy, sections 7 to 9 Someone is in danger. | Call 911. In a crisis, call or text 988. We are not an emergency service. | Crisis and help 7. Still stuck ============== Write to support@tillyard.org. One person runs Tillyard and reads these messages, and we do not promise a reply time. Changes to this document ======================== Contact ======= - General questions: support@tillyard.org - Legal notices: legal@tillyard.org - Post: Tillyard, 10602 York Rd SW, Etna, Ohio 43062