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Writing a Rigorous Science Post

All posts on Scientific Speculation should be grounded in real-world science, and we encourage users to give a reasonable justification for their ideas. However, we want to give question writers some flexibility to decide what "reasonable" means to them. The Rigorous Science category is designed for anyone who wants an exceptionally stringent analysis of their scenario. Both questions and answers in this category are required to adhere to significantly higher standards than normal.

Standards for Rigorous Science questions

Before asking your question, make sure that it satisfies these requirements:

• Have you done your research? If you'd like others to look at your idea meticulously, you need to put in some work, too. Take some time to consider the implications of what you are asking about, and show that you've done at least a basic plausibility check.
• Is your question clearly explained? While all questions on Speculative Science should be clearly written, this is doubly important for questions in Rigorous Science. Make sure you give a detailed explanation of the situation, including any parts where you've introduced a fictitious element, like faster-than-light travel or a terraformed planet.
• Can your question truly be answered rigorously? Make sure that there isn't some fundamental flaw that means that real-world science can't be applied. This might seem obvious, but it can be a critical stumbling point.

Standards for Rigorous Science answers

We hold answers to Rigorous Science questions to a higher standard than would be expected of answers to a normal question. Ask yourself a couple of questions before posting:

• Have you adequately supported your conclusions? Rigorous Science answers support their ideas with equations, real-world data, and citations of scientific papers, conference proceedings, textbooks, or material from similarly reputable sources.
• Have you clearly explained your reasoning? Particularly in the case of peer-reviewed material, writing an answer accessible to everyone can be difficult and time-consuming, but translating technical jargon into readily understandable summaries can and does go a long way. Don't assume that the person reading your answer knows about every esoteric detail and idea.
• Have you used mainstream science? Not every paper or preprint out there is in line with widely-accepted scientific ideas. If you choose to base your answer on academic sources, pick peer-reviewed journals over preprint servers. Don't use fringe ideas or non-mainstream theories.
• Have you taken enough time on the answer? Keep in mind that the reason this question is in the Rigorous Science category at all is that someone wants well-thought out, well-supported, and well-written responses. There's no need to rush an answer.