Your account

Your project manager should give you a user name (not an email address) and password.  Login is in the top right.  This will take you to a page where you can see the discussions you are permitted to participate in. There is also a logout button for when you are finished.

In the top menu bar you have an Admin button.  If you click on it you have the opportunity to change your password and another link called Manage Group Memberships.  The Manage Group Memberships link takes you to a page where you can change your user name, first and last names, email address, and group memberships.  You probably should not change your user name or group membership without permission or authorization from your project manager.  The project manager assigns group membership to see how different people evaluate the discussion statements.  You should keep your email address up to date.

Using Clarimap

If you are participating in a managed Clarimap discussion (as opposed to a public discussion), you should follow instructions from your project manager.  He or she may have specific ideas about when arguments can be added and when they can be rated.

Clarimap is not a competition, but you should go at the arguments with all the mental powers you have.  Try to build a strong and intellectually defensible argument and to point out deficiencies in other arguments.  Think of it as a game, but a game in which everybody wins.  Like the best collaborations, Clarimap discussions incorporate input from many people and encourage a winnowing of the weaker parts of the argument and shining forth of the stronger parts.

Code of Conduct

We don't ask for civility just so people will be nice to each other; it makes for better discussions.

Research has shown that mean or nasty language reduces reading comprehension.  You can't convince someone if you insult them.  You are less likely to convince someone if you insult a third party or come across as a mean person.

We are all about vigorous debate and conversation at Clarimap, but we value good sportsmanship.  For centuries debaters have warned against the "ad hominem" fallacy - trying to undermine an argument by casting aspersion on the character or background of the person making the statement.  Even if you don't think you are attacking other people, your comments might convey a hostile attitude, inadvertently. 

Civility and courtesy are virtues we value.  Mud-slinging is not.  Nastiness in a comment doesn't just make the statement less persuasive.  In the minds of the readers it can make the whole discussion less persuasive.

You might see discussion on Clarimap about touchy subjects.  We want you to dive in and argue to the best of your abilities.

We wish conversations could take place without emotion, but humans are reading your statements, and they have emotion.  The tone of the discussion when no voices are employed, so remember people are going to fill in meaning even where none is intended.

And in addition to taking care to avoid offending others, you must also try to avoid being offended yourself.

Clarimap discussion is through text only. Without the audio cues of social speech it is sometimes difficult to tell how serious people are, when they are joking or being sarcastic, or gentle, etc.

Profanity and obscenity are also forbidden at Clarimap.  Even if directed at an inanimate object or done in a jokey manner, this kind of language is never benign and degrades the tone of the discussion.