Active PIVX Scholar

[Andre]

Name: PIVX Scholar
Term: 3 Cycles
Cycle Amount: 9950
Total Amount: 29850
Author: Andre
Receiver: Andre
Address: DCt4AQ5Q4scuRKRFQvX1kWi4k6MhJZh8YE
Created: 12-10-2024
Status: Active
Vote Hash: 1157ff4d34e65b217e3691ed19de7ba23e4f056583fe0317b78819bb65d249de

Restoring Integrity in Academic Publishing
Hello, PIVX community, this is a proposal for a consumer application that we are building on PIVX. This project is dedicated to enhancing transparency and fostering trust within the academic publishing industry.

• Video demo:

• Live link to try out the platform: https://pivxscholar.com/

A Rising Issue in Academia: Predatory Publishing​

Predatory publishing is a growing concern in academia, where journals charge high fees to publish papers without providing genuine academic value. Many of these journals falsely claim to offer a transparent review process but often lack real peer review, leading to derivative or plagiarized work. This compromises the integrity of academic publishing and raises questions about the credibility of reviews and the qualifications of reviewers. Financially motivated authorities exacerbate the issue, favoring those who can afford publication fees ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, making it prohibitively expensive for many researchers, particularly students. Research that challenges the status quo often struggles for fair peer review, and reviewers frequently receive little to no compensation.

Solution: How Pivx Scholar Decentralizes Academic Publishing​

Pivx Scholar addresses predatory publishing by offering a transparent and fair peer-review process. Researchers can receive compensation in Pivx for their contributions, ensuring they are rewarded for their work and fostering a sustainable funding environment within academia.

Migrating Existing Publications​

Our streamlined import process allows researchers to transfer their publications from other platforms to Pivx Scholar in just a few minutes, removing barriers to adoption.

Key Features​

• Transparent Peer Review: Ensures reviews by qualified experts.
• No Publication Fees: Making publishing accessible.
• Incentives: Reviewers earn Pivx for valuable feedback.
• Seamless Migration: Easily import existing work from platforms like Google Scholar.

Development Status and Next Steps​

Front-end development is nearly complete, with back-end development expected to finish in about two weeks. Afterward, we will focus on user onboarding during the first funding circle.

Reason For Funding Request:​

The requested funds will be allocated to marketing and outreach over the next three months, including targeted email campaigns, community engagement, conferences, and academic partnerships, as well as completing the platform's functionality.

Phase 1: Direct Outreach and Engagement (8 Weeks)​

• Direct email and LinkedIn outreach to academics.
• Incentivize early adopters with rewards.

Phase 2: Strategic Partnerships and Institutional Collaboration (4 Weeks)​

• Partner with universities for smoother migration and adoption.

Marketing Strategy​

• Emphasize Pivx Scholar’s commitment to transparency, integrity, and user empowerment.
• Support open access and academic freedom through social media and academic forums.

Sustainability​

Pivx Scholar will ensure long-term sustainability through:

• Organic SEO: Increased visibility when articles imported to the platform begin to appear on search engine results.
• Complementary Presence: Encouraging use as an additional platform to diversify researchers' visibility.

Benefits for Pivx​

The success of Pivx Scholar will:

• Create a Service Economy: Establish Pivx as the primary payment method for transactions on the platform.
• Increase Visibility and Elevate Brand Recognition: including the enhancement of Pivx’s reputation as a champion of integrity in academic publishing.
• Cross-Platform Benefit: Attract readers and boost overall traffic across the Pivx network.

Check out the short video demo above and visit the website. Feel free to ask any questions. Thank you.

 

[PIVX Labs]

Thanks for submitting your (first, I assume) proposal! Welcome to the PIVX DAO.

Right off the bat, I'm curious of a few things:
- The site mentions that all data is decentralised, i.e: stored on the blockchain (the PIVX blockchain, I assume), could you explain how this works and show a practical example? A technical breakdown would be appreciated, as well as TXIDs to data-retention transactions relevant to the platform, like OP_RETURNs or Shield Memos.
- None of the links or buttons in the Footer work, which is very odd.
- The domain "pivxscholar.com" has only been registered for a month, which suggests this is extremely new: either a demo (non-functional currently), or a clone of an existing site.

I'd appreciate your transparency for these bits.

- JSKitty

 

[Andre]

Thanks for submitting your (first, I assume) proposal! Welcome to the PIVX DAO.

Right off the bat, I'm curious of a few things:
- The site mentions that all data is decentralised, i.e: stored on the blockchain (the PIVX blockchain, I assume), could you explain how this works and show a practical example? A technical breakdown would be appreciated, as well as TXIDs to data-retention transactions relevant to the platform, like OP_RETURNs or Shield Memos.
- None of the links or buttons in the Footer work, which is very odd.
- The domain "pivxscholar.com" has only been registered for a month, which suggests this is extremely new: either a demo (non-functional currently), or a clone of an existing site.

I'd appreciate your transparency for these bits.

- JSKitty

Thanks for your questions. The data will be stored on IPFS a decentralized file storing protocol (it does not belong to any particular blockchain network). As mentioned in the proposal the platform is still in development, there was no attempt to hide that, so the links at the bottom working yet and yes the project is new and currently in development. We estimate that it will be completed within two weeks. To clarify and avoid confusion, the primary focus of this proposal is on outreach efforts aimed at onboarding researchers.

 

[PIVX Labs]

IPFS is a good usecase for such data (albeit, IPFS is not blockchain, and the website specifies data is stored on a blockchain, hence my query), where does PIVX uniquely fit in to this proposal, aside from funding it's development and paying it's researchers for peer-reviews?

Since there are no publication fees, how do you plan the platform to sustain itself? As of current, it looks like you'd be rewarding researchers with PIVX without having any inflows to sustain said rewards - no fees, no sustanance, it seems as if the DAO would be funding research that has no relevence to PIVX as a platform and community, rather altruistically, in the hopes it simply brings us traffic from a niche research community?

Lastly, curious about the 'Pivx Scholar Inc' in the footer, is this an incorporated business? If so, could you provide registration details?

- JSKitty

 

[Andre]

IPFS is a good usecase for such data (albeit, IPFS is not blockchain, and the website specifies data is stored on a blockchain, hence my query), where does PIVX uniquely fit in to this proposal, aside from funding it's development and paying it's researchers for peer-reviews?

Since there are no publication fees, how do you plan the platform to sustain itself? As of current, it looks like you'd be rewarding researchers with PIVX without having any inflows to sustain said rewards - no fees, no sustanance, it seems as if the DAO would be funding research that has no relevence to PIVX as a platform and community, rather altruistically, in the hopes it simply brings us traffic from a niche research community?

Lastly, curious about the 'Pivx Scholar Inc' in the footer, is this an incorporated business? If so, could you provide registration details?

- JSKitty

1)Where did I mention blockchain?
2)Pivx is used for payment, which is stated twice in the proposal. Researchers accept donations from Readers (The general public) in Pivx. The Pivx network is not the one making the payments. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the intended use of Pivx—as a monetary system for payment?
3)The website is still in development, most of the content is a demo, and the proposal and video reference this, I don't understand the fixation on this. However, you will notice from the milestone that this proposal is focused on outreach and user onboarding.
4)There is no funding for "research" this is funding an "outreach" campaign to onboard researchers. The last part of the proposal clearly outlines the benefits for Pivx. This is a consumer product meant to utilize Pivx as a monetary system, not to showcase technical prowess.
5) I wouldn't classify 7 million research papers published each year as niche.
6)Given all the benefits listed, how could the DOA supporting this be purely altruistic?

Please take the time to read the proposal and watch the video. It seems like you are mentioning things already addressed by the proposal and bringing up things not mentioned at all like blockchain. Could this just be a communication issue, is English your first language?

 

[Andre]

To elaborate on the other ways the platform generates revenue, I was expecting to address questions like this rather than topics that haven't been mentioned, such as blockchain. Researchers can receive funding through donations, and the platform charges a small fee similar to Patreon, but tailored for academics. Additionally, the platform will generate revenue from advertisements while also offering the general public the opportunity to hire researchers for their projects.

 

[Andre]

IPFS is a good usecase for such data (albeit, IPFS is not blockchain, and the website specifies data is stored on a blockchain, hence my query), where does PIVX uniquely fit in to this proposal, aside from funding it's development and paying it's researchers for peer-reviews?

Since there are no publication fees, how do you plan the platform to sustain itself? As of current, it looks like you'd be rewarding researchers with PIVX without having any inflows to sustain said rewards - no fees, no sustanance, it seems as if the DAO would be funding research that has no relevence to PIVX as a platform and community, rather altruistically, in the hopes it simply brings us traffic from a niche research community?

Lastly, curious about the 'Pivx Scholar Inc' in the footer, is this an incorporated business? If so, could you provide registration details?

- JSKitty

Check the attachment, nothing niche about this, friend.

 

[Andre]

More proof

 

[PIVX Labs]

1)Where did I mention blockchain?
2)Pivx is used for payment, which is stated twice in the proposal. Researchers accept donations made in Pivx. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the intended use of Pivx—as a monetary system for payment?
3)The website is still in development, most of the content is a demo, and the proposal and video reference this, I don't understand the fixation on this. However, you will notice from the milestone that this proposal is focused on outreach and user onboarding.
4)There is no funding for "research" this is funding an "outreach" campaign to onboard researchers. The last part of the proposal clearly outlines the benefits for Pivx. This is a consumer product meant to utilize Pivx as a monetary system, not to showcase technical prowess.
5) I wouldn't classify 7 million research papers published each year as niche.
6)Given all the benefits listed, how could the DOA supporting this be purely altruistic?

Please take the time to read the proposal and watch the video. It seems like you are mentioning things already addressed by the proposal and bringing up things not mentioned at all like blockchain. Could this just be a communication issue, is English your first language?

> 1) Where did I mention blockchain?
On your website, the ambigous wording of "the blockchain" is why I assumed it was referring to the PIVX Blockchain.

> 2) Right, I was primarily thrown off by the mention of storing user data (which I presume would be accounts and such) on the blockchain, until you clarified it would be IPFS (in which case the above disclaimer is slightly misleading).

> 3) The 'fixation' rather is, I will not back a proposal to fund a platform that, functionally, does not exist yet. It needs an MVP, currently, you're showing a web page hosted on Linode that someone could knock together in 24h with ChatGPT. I am well in my realm to be suspicious of such a short-notice proposal for a platform that is a placeholder. Scammers re-sell website templates all the time and add a little JS. A simple MVP, even if very barebones (it is our own work methodology - MVP first, funding later), it would be something tangible.

> 4) Fair enough.

> 5) Unless you have the networking and contacts to attract said researchers en-masse, the community for "Pivx Scholar" in particular is what I'm referring to as niche, you mentioned partnering with universities, but which ones in particular - and do you have contact with them in an authoritative manner? We have PIVians that have actively tutored classes on the topic of PIVX, as an example of practical connections. There has been none explicitly proposed here.

> 6) Until there is a userbase of your platform, this is a shot-in-the-dark style proposal. I'm not sure if that's the intent, but for an ideal proposal, you should have some form of MVP and an interested userbase. I can point to any statistic of 'community' and exclaim building a product they will use, but until they're actually using it, the 'benefits' outlined are entirely theoretical and unproven, the DAO would have to take that chance by funding the platform's development and marketing upfront before any tangible evidence of usage or growth is displayed.

Really, my concerns can simply be condensed down to:
- MVP: it needs to be usable, even to the most barebones extent (a buggy, mess of a platform is better than a webpage with some JS).
- Sustainability: which requires sufficient usage (for said fees and ad revenue).
- Market acceptance: even with the above figured out, building a good product, it may still not be received (perhaps simply from involvement with crypto, unfortunately, many academics are generally behind in this field and thus may be turned away from using a research platform with crypto as it's primary monetary medium) - do you have data supporting your platform's development?

I am probably seeming quite harsh, but it is out of necessity in keeping the DAO safe, it's a grifter's market today, if you have an MVP - that alone puts you in the top 5%, and I'd be willing to give a shot at backing your proposal (as well as providing developer support from PIVX Labs at no cost to you), a quarter-built product is better than a shiny blueprint.

 

[Eric_Stanek]

Sorry. OP has failed to fully explain how this benefits PIVX. Bullshit detector triggered immediately. Kitty/Labs asked very good questions that I would have asked too - but I was too busy with Thanksgiving dinner and family. Point being though ... the answers don't mitigate my concerns at all - in fact they amplify them.

Hard pass for me. Sorry.

 

[Eric_Stanek]

Related.

PRINCIPIA: A Novel Decentralized Academic Publishing Framework

@Ocean explains PRINCIPIA, the decentralized academic publishing framework that might finally address one of academia’s greatest thorns.

oceanexplains.medium.com

“PRINCIPIA”, a new peer-review platform is here

A group of Italian researchers has advanced a chainblock-based platform, which aims to reform the scientific publications system...

cordis.europa.eu

“PRINCIPIA”, a new peer-review platform is here

A group of Italian researchers has advanced a chainblock-based platform, which aims to reform the scientific publications system, restoring the centrality of academia over journal publishers

magazine.fbk.eu

 

[Andre]

> 1) Where did I mention blockchain?
On your website, the ambigous wording of "the blockchain" is why I assumed it was referring to the PIVX Blockchain.

View attachment 2234

> 2) Right, I was primarily thrown off by the mention of storing user data (which I presume would be accounts and such) on the blockchain, until you clarified it would be IPFS (in which case the above disclaimer is slightly misleading).

> 3) The 'fixation' rather is, I will not back a proposal to fund a platform that, functionally, does not exist yet. It needs an MVP, currently, you're showing a web page hosted on Linode that someone could knock together in 24h with ChatGPT. I am well in my realm to be suspicious of such a short-notice proposal for a platform that is a placeholder. Scammers re-sell website templates all the time and add a little JS. A simple MVP, even if very barebones (it is our own work methodology - MVP first, funding later), it would be something tangible.

> 4) Fair enough.

> 5) Unless you have the networking and contacts to attract said researchers en-masse, the community for "Pivx Scholar" in particular is what I'm referring to as niche, you mentioned partnering with universities, but which ones in particular - and do you have contact with them in an authoritative manner? We have PIVians that have actively tutored classes on the topic of PIVX, as an example of practical connections. There has been none explicitly proposed here.

> 6) Until there is a userbase of your platform, this is a shot-in-the-dark style proposal. I'm not sure if that's the intent, but for an ideal proposal, you should have some form of MVP and an interested userbase. I can point to any statistic of 'community' and exclaim building a product they will use, but until they're actually using it, the 'benefits' outlined are entirely theoretical and unproven, the DAO would have to take that chance by funding the platform's development and marketing upfront before any tangible evidence of usage or growth is displayed.

Really, my concerns can simply be condensed down to:
- MVP: it needs to be usable, even to the most barebones extent (a buggy, mess of a platform is better than a webpage with some JS).
- Sustainability: which requires sufficient usage (for said fees and ad revenue).
- Market acceptance: even with the above figured out, building a good product, it may still not be received (perhaps simply from involvement with crypto, unfortunately, many academics are generally behind in this field and thus may be turned away from using a research platform with crypto as it's primary monetary medium) - do you have data supporting your platform's development?

I am probably seeming quite harsh, but it is out of necessity in keeping the DAO safe, it's a grifter's market today, if you have an MVP - that alone puts you in the top 5%, and I'd be willing to give a shot at backing your proposal (as well as providing developer support from PIVX Labs at no cost to you), a quarter-built product is better than a shiny blueprint.

1. I did not mention blockchain in my proposal. That is placeholder content on the website that is under construction.
2. I believe this misunderstanding is similar to the first point.
3. The front end of the website is nearly complete, and it's much more complex than something you can build with ChatGPT. It will take about 2-3 weeks to put together the material we need for outreach including sourcing prospects and crafting the messaging, in that time of the proposal funding the platform's development should already be completed so we can swiftly move on to outreach. The focus of this proposal has always been on outreach, and I kept it concise, expecting to elaborate further when asked.
4. I'm glad we can agree on this.
5. We have an outreach strategy outlined in the proposal and a solid understanding of the industry. I'll take the time to provide more detailed responses on this point.
6. There is already an interested user base, as this addresses a common and frequently voiced pain point among researchers. I will provide evidence to support this.

The platform will allow researchers to be paid in Pivx, they will need to make use of the Pivx wallet to do this increasing awareness of the broader Pivx network. Additionally, when people wish to donate to support research, they will need to obtain Pivx, further generating more awareness about Pivx and driving up its usage.

Moreover, fees will be generated when the public hires researchers for projects. With the content naturally ranking on search engines due to its academic nature, the platform will attract visitors without requiring additional ad spend. These types of articles tend to rank quickly, and researchers will be encouraged to link to their Pivx Scholar profiles on their social media accounts, generating organic backlinks. They will do this because they stand to benefit directly from the growth of Pivx Scholar.

We have a nearly completed front end, and the strength of this proposal lies in our outreach strategy. That said, we would be happy to have your support not only in advancing this proposal but also in building out the remaining parts of the platform, including technical development. I understand you interest in ensuring that the project has a solid foundation before moving forward.

 

[Andre]

Sorry. OP has failed to fully explain how this benefits PIVX. Bullshit detector triggered immediately. Kitty/Labs asked very good questions that I would have asked too - but I was too busy with Thanksgiving dinner and family. Point being though ... the answers don't mitigate my concerns at all - in fact they amplify them.

Hard pass for me. Sorry.

I'm happy to elaborate further on the benefits, some of which I've already highlighted. Did you have a chance to read the last section on 'Benefits'? What specific areas would you like me to elaborate on?

 

[Andre]

Related.

PRINCIPIA: A Novel Decentralized Academic Publishing Framework

@Ocean explains PRINCIPIA, the decentralized academic publishing framework that might finally address one of academia’s greatest thorns.

oceanexplains.medium.com

“PRINCIPIA”, a new peer-review platform is here

A group of Italian researchers has advanced a chainblock-based platform, which aims to reform the scientific publications system...

cordis.europa.eu

“PRINCIPIA”, a new peer-review platform is here

A group of Italian researchers has advanced a chainblock-based platform, which aims to reform the scientific publications system, restoring the centrality of academia over journal publishers

magazine.fbk.eu

Isn't Pivx itself built on an existing network, aiming to execute it better? What’s the argument here?

 

[Andre]

Elaborating On The Outreach Strategy
The goal is to onboard 200-300 researchers per month over the next three months we will contact approximately 6,000 researchers per month through direct emails and Lindledin outreach, and have identified channels to source them. Our approach will include active participation in forums where discussions about predatory publishing are already taking place. We will also utilize social media retargeting ads to engage prospects who haven’t responded to previous communications and reconnect with individuals who did not complete the onboarding process. To maintain visibility and foster community engagement. While building a community through producing and sharing engaging content across various social media channels.

The product (research papers and articles) naturally ranks well on Google, attracting visitors without additional ad spend. To enhance organic growth, researchers will be motivated to link to their Pivx Scholar profiles on social media, similar to a Patreon account, generating organic backlinks. This engagement benefits researchers directly through Pivx Scholar's growth.

Objectives

• Establish direct connections with researchers and academic institutions through targeted communication.
• Utilize digital marketing (both paid and organic) to enhance awareness of Pivx Scholar’s benefits.
• Increase submissions while positioning Pivx Scholar as the go-to platform for researchers seeking a transparent publishing experience.

Target Audience

• Researchers and Emerging Academics: Individuals seeking reliable platforms for publishing, particularly those frustrated with traditional models.
• Academic Institutions: Universities and colleges aiming to support faculty and students in disseminating research findings without conventional publishing barriers.

Benefits to Highlight

• Transparent Peer Review Process: Experience a fair review process that values your work and encourages constructive feedback.
• No Publication Fees: Remove financial barriers associated with traditional publishing, prioritizing researcher needs over profit.
• Community Engagement: Connect with a network of researchers committed to open knowledge dissemination.

Metrics for Success

• Monthly onboarding numbers of researchers. 200-300 researchers per month (6000 contacted)
• Engagement rates on emails and forum discussions.
• Increase in article submissions.

@PIVX Labs labs No niche, I have yet to meet a researcher who is currently paying for publication and wouldn’t prefer to switch to a credible platform where they can earn from their work. With the support of the Pivx network, Pivx Scholar will not start from scratch in building its reputation; it can leverage the existing credibility of the network. This advantage will significantly reduce the time needed to gain trust and recognition, which is essential for attracting readers. As we onboard more researchers to the platform, its reputation will continue to grow.

While we may not have formal connections with most of the top academic institutions yet, we do have a strategy to engage them through conferences and social media engagement. However, we would be excited to leverage the existing networks within the PIVX community that you mentioned. We welcome any support and guidance to establish credibility and initiate meaningful discussions. This would be in the secound phase of the proposal in about 2 months, which gives us the time to build that up.

Revenue Model

Reader Donations to Researchers: A donation system will be implemented, allowing readers to support their favorite researchers directly. This fosters community engagement, provides researchers with essential financial support for their work, and platform maintenance for Pivx scholars.

Sponsorship and Advertising: We will explore partnerships with relevant organizations and companies to provide sponsored content and targeted advertisements.

Hiring Researchers for Content Creation: Pivx Scholar will allow businesses and readers to hire researchers to conduct valuable content research and write articles, reviews, and insights.

Reader Subscription Model: We will offer tiered subscriptions for readers seeking premium access to exclusive research content, for those who want additional services.

Market Acceptance of Crypto in Academia​

While you are right that there may be resistance, particularly among traditional academics, we will position Pivx Scholar as a bridge to the academic world, especially for younger researchers who are more open to innovation. Cryptocurrency will not be the focal point of our pitch; instead, our priority will be to onboard users first. By the time they are familiar with the platform, they will see Pivx as just another currency, akin to the Yen or Euro.

With this plan, we can onboard researchers without overwhelming them with the complexities of cryptocurrency. Our goal is to create a familiar experience that encourages users to engage with the platform and appreciate its value first, ultimately leading to the acceptance of Pivx as a standard currency in academic publishing.

The outreach strategy will emphasize the core benefits of Pivx Scholar, such as Enhanced transparency, fair compensation for peer review, and elimination of high publication fees, using the platform as a venue to eventually on-ramp more scholars and readers to Pivx. Mass emailing and reaching out to people about crypto is a scam, mass emailing about a platform that is relevant to their profession is an opportunity.

 

[Andre]

@DAO This is a mutually beneficial proposal: Pivx gains an entry point into the scholarly community, while Pivx Scholar benefits from the reputation that comes with an established network. If you do not recognize the mutual advantages of this collaboration, then please feel free to vote no. I would like to only have this project on a platform where the merits of the strategy are clearly understood.